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2 Peter 3:5-13
New King James Version
2 Peter 3:5-13
New King James Version
5 For this they willfully forget: that (A)by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth (B)standing out of water and in the water, 6 (C)by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But (D)the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for (E)fire until the day of judgment and [a]perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and (F)a thousand years as one day. 9 (G)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but (H)is longsuffering toward [b]us, (I)not willing that any should perish but (J)that all should come to repentance.
The Day of the Lord
10 But (K)the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which (L)the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [c]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be (M)in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (N)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will (O)be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will (P)melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for (Q)new heavens and a (R)new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Peter 3:7 destruction
- 2 Peter 3:9 NU you
- 2 Peter 3:10 NU laid bare, lit. found
2 Peter 3:5-13
New Living Translation
2 Peter 3:5-13
New Living Translation
5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.[a]
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.
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- 3:10 Other manuscripts read will be burned up; one early manuscript reads will be found destroyed.
2 Peter 3:5-13
Amplified Bible
2 Peter 3:5-13
Amplified Bible
5 For they willingly forget [the fact] that the heavens existed long ago by the word of God, and the earth was formed [a]out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water.(A) 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.
8 Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.(B) 9 The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
A New Heaven and Earth
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be [b]burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God], 12 [while you earnestly] look for and await the coming of the day of God. For on this day the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the [material] elements will melt with intense heat!(C) 13 But in accordance with His promise we expectantly await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.(D)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Peter 3:5 Peter is not referring to the creation of earth from water, but to the appearance of land masses from the water that had covered the earth in the early stages of creation. His point is that the mockers who will claim that things continue to be just as they always have been will be overlooking the fact that the status quo, as they see it, took an act of God to create in the first place, and God has already intervened in the history of the world once to wipe out mankind by a cataclysmic flood (v 6; cf Gen 6; 7).
- 2 Peter 3:10 Two early mss have “discovered” instead of “burned up.” It is possible that Peter means something like “discovered for what they really are—temporary creations.”
2 Peter 3:5-13
New International Version
2 Peter 3:5-13
New International Version
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word(A) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.(B) 6 By these waters also the world of that time(C) was deluged and destroyed.(D) 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,(E) being kept for the day of judgment(F) 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.(G) 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(H) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(I) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(J)
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(K) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(L) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(M) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a](N)
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(O) to the day of God and speed its coming.[b](P) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(Q) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(R) where righteousness dwells.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
- 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP) 
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.