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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

  1. 2 Peter 3:4 I.e., died
  2. 2 Peter 3:5 Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that
  3. 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
  4. 2 Peter 3:10 I.e., as worthless; late mss burned up
  5. 2 Peter 3:17 Or disgraceful
  6. 2 Peter 3:17 Or firm hold
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2 Peter 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends, this is now the second letter(A) I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine(B) understanding with a reminder, 2 so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 3 First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days(C) to scoff, living according to their own desires, 4 saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?(D) Ever since the fathers fell asleep,(E) all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” 5 They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water(F) by the word of God.(G) 6 Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded.(H) 7 But by the same word,(I) the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment(J) and destruction of ungodly men.

8 Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.(K) 9 The Lord does not delay His promise,(L) as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any(M) to perish(N) but all to come to repentance.(O)

10 But the Day of the Lord(P) will come like a thief;[a](Q) on that day the heavens will pass away(R) with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,(S) and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.[b] 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming[c] of the day of God.(T) The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. 13 But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth,(U) where righteousness will dwell.(V)

Conclusion

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish.(W) 15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.(X) 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction,(Y) as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,(Z) so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge(AA) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.[d](AB) Amen.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:10 Other mss add in the night
  2. 2 Peter 3:10 Other mss read will be burned up
  3. 2 Peter 3:12 Or and speed the coming
  4. 2 Peter 3:18 Or now and forever
  5. 2 Peter 3:18 Other mss omit Amen.
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2 Peter 3
New International Version

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.(D)

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(F) 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”(H) 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.(J) 6 By these waters also the world of that time(K) was deluged and destroyed.(L) 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,(M) being kept for the day of judgment(N) and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.(O) 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(P) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(Q) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(R)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(S) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(T) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(U) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a](V)

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward(W) to the day of God and speed its coming.[b](X) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(Y) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(Z) where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless(AA) and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience(AB) means salvation,(AC) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.(AD) 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable(AE) people distort,(AF) as they do the other Scriptures,(AG) to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard(AH) so that you may not be carried away by the error(AI) of the lawless(AJ) and fall from your secure position.(AK) 18 But grow in the grace(AL) and knowledge(AM) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(AN) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
  2. 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
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