2 Peter 3
New American Standard Bible
Purpose of This Letter
3 (A)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am (B)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, 2 to (C)remember the words spoken beforehand by (D)the holy prophets and (E)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
The Coming Day of the Lord
3 (F)Know this first of all, that (G)in the last days (H)mockers will come with their mocking, (I)following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “(J)Where is the promise of His (K)coming? For ever since the fathers [a](L)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were (M)from the beginning of creation.” 5 For [b]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that (N)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was (O)formed out of water and by water, 6 through which (P)the world at that time was (Q)destroyed by being flooded with water. 7 But by His word (R)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for (S)fire, kept for (T)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, (U)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and (V)a thousand years like one day. 9 (W)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but (X)is patient toward you, (Y)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
A New Heaven and Earth
10 But (Z)the day of the Lord (AA)will come like a thief, in which (AB)the heavens (AC)will pass away with a roar and the (AD)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and (AE)the earth and [c]its works will be [d]discovered.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (AF)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which (AG)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the (AH)elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His (AI)promise we are looking for (AJ)new heavens and a new earth, (AK)in which righteousness dwells.
14 (AL)Therefore, (AM)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be (AN)found (AO)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15 and regard the (AP)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also (AQ)our beloved brother Paul, (AR)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of (AS)these things, (AT)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and (AU)unstable distort, as they do also (AV)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, (AW)beloved, knowing this beforehand, (AX)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by (AY)the error of [e](AZ)unscrupulous people and (BA)lose your own [f]firm commitment, 18 but grow in the grace and (BB)knowledge of our (BC)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (BD)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:4 I.e., died
- 2 Peter 3:5 Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that
- 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
- 2 Peter 3:10 I.e., as worthless; late mss burned up
- 2 Peter 3:17 Or disgraceful
- 2 Peter 3:17 Or firm hold
2 Peter 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 Behold this second epistle I write to you, my dearly beloved, in which I stir up by way of admonition your sincere mind:
2 That you may be mindful of those words which I told you before from the holy prophets, and of your apostles, of the precepts of the Lord and Saviour.
3 Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 Saying: Where is his promise or his coming? for since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they are wilfully ignorant of, that the heavens were before, and the earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God.
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.
8 But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance.
10 But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and the elements shall be melted with heat, and the earth and the works which are in it, shall be burnt up.
11 Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness?
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat?
13 But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth.
14 Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace.
15 And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3
The Message
In the Last Days
3 1-2 My dear friends, this is now the second time I’ve written to you, both letters reminders to hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention. Keep in mind what the holy prophets said, and the command of our Master and Savior that was passed on by your apostles.
3-4 First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their petty feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.”
5-7 They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word. Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.
The Day the Sky Will Collapse
8-9 Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.
10 But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a raging inferno, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
11-13 Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.
* * *
14-16 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, refers to this in all his letters, and has written you essentially the same thing. Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don’t know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it.
17-18 But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes!
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson