²⁰ who once were disobedient, when the ^(A)patience of God ^(B)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(C)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(D)eight ^(E)persons, were brought safely through the ^[a]water.

⁵ and did not spare ^(A)the ancient world, but preserved ^(B)Noah, a ^[a]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ^(C)flood upon the world of the ungodly;

⁴ and saying, “^(A)Where is the promise of His ^(B)coming? For ever since the fathers ^(C)fell asleep, all continues just as it was ^(D)from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For ^[a]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that ^(E)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was ^(F)formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which ^(G)the world at that time was ^(H)destroyed, being flooded with water. ⁷ But by His word ^(I)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for ^(J)fire, kept for ^(K)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.