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This houtos, dear friends agapētos, is now ēdē the second deuteros letter epistolē I have written graphō to you hymeis ( in en both of them hos I have been trying to arouse diegeirō your hymeis pure eilikrinēs minds dianoia with en a reminder hypomnēsis) · ho to remember mimnēskomai the ho words rhēma spoken beforehand by hypo the ho holy hagios prophets prophētēs and kai the ho commandment entolē of the ho Lord kyrios and kai Savior sōtēr spoken through ho your hymeis apostles apostolos. Above all prōton you must understand ginōskō that hoti in epi the ho last eschatos days hēmera scoffers empaiktēs will come erchomai with en scoffing empaigmonē, following poreuō · ho their autos own idios lusts epithumia and kai saying legō, “ Where pou is eimi the ho promise epangelia of ho his autos coming parousia? For gar ever apo since hos our ho fathers patēr fell asleep koimaō, everything pas has gone along diamenō as it has houtōs from apo the beginning archē of creation ktisis.” For gar in maintaining thelō this houtos, they autos overlook the fact lanthanō that hoti by the ho word logos of ho God theos heavens ouranos existed eimi long ago ekpalai and kai an earth was formed synistēmi out of ek water hydōr and kai by means dia of water hydōr. By dia these hos the ho world kosmos of that time tote was destroyed apollymi, being deluged kataklyzō with water hydōr. But de by the ho same autos word logos the ho present nyn heavens ouranos and kai · ho earth have been eimi reserved thēsaurizō for fire pyr, kept tēreō for eis the day hēmera of judgment krisis and kai destruction apōleia of ho ungodly asebēs men anthrōpos. But de do not let this houtos one thing heis escape lanthanō your hymeis notice , dear friends agapētos, that hoti one heis day hēmera with para the Lord kyrios is as hōs a thousand chilioi years etos and kai a thousand chilioi years etos are as hōs a single heis day hēmera. The Lord kyrios is not ou late bradynō in fulfilling his ho promise epangelia, as hōs some tis regard hēgeomai lateness bradytēs, but alla is patient makrothumeō toward eis you hymeis, not willing boulomai that anyone tis should perish apollymi, but alla that all pas should come chōreō to eis repentance metanoia. 10 But de the Day hēmera of the Lord kyrios will come hēkō like hōs a thief kleptēs, in en which hos the ho heavens ouranos will pass away parerchomai with a rushing noise rhoizēdon, the elements stoicheion · de will melt lyō in the intense heat kausoō, and kai the earth and kai the ho works ergon in en it autos will be exposed heuriskō.

11 Since all pas these things houtos are thus houtōs to be dissolved lyō, what kind of people potapos ought dei you hymeis to be hyparchō in en holy hagios conduct anastrophē and kai godliness eusebeia, 12 waiting for prosdokaō and kai hastening speudō the ho coming parousia of the ho day hēmera of ho God theos, because of dia which hos the heavens ouranos will be set on fire pyroō and dissolved lyō, and kai the elements stoicheion will melt tēkō in the heat kausoō. 13 But de according to kata his autos promise epangelma we are waiting for prosdokaō new kainos heavens ouranos and kai a new kainos earth · ho in en which hos righteousness dikaiosynē will be at home katoikeō.

14 So then dio, dear friends agapētos, since you await prosdokaō these things houtos, strive spoudazō to be found heuriskō without spot aspilos or kai blemish amōmētos, at en peace eirēnē in him autos. 15 And kai consider hēgeomai the ho patience makrothumia of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios as salvation sōtēria, just as kathōs also kai · ho our hēmeis dear agapētos brother adelphos Paul Paulos wrote graphō to you hymeis according to kata the ho wisdom sophia given didōmi to him autos, 16 as hōs · kai he does in en all pas his letters epistolē, speaking laleō in en them autos of peri these matters houtos, in en which hos are eimi some things tis hard to understand dysnoētos, things that hos the ho ignorant amathēs and kai unstable astēriktos distort strebloō to pros their autos own idios destruction apōleia, as hōs · kai they do the ho other loipos scriptures graphē. · ho

17 You hymeis therefore oun, dear friends agapētos, knowing this beforehand proginōskō, be on your guard phylassō that hina you are synapagō not led astray synapagō by the ho error planē of these ho lawless athesmos people and fall ekpiptō from ho your idios stable position stērigmos. 18 But de grow auxanō in en the grace charis and kai knowledge gnōsis of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios and kai Savior sōtēr Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. To him autos be the ho glory doxa both kai now nyn and kai in eis the eternal aiōn day hēmera. Amen amēn.

Be Ready for the Day of the Lord

Dear friends, this is now the second of two letters[a] I am writing to you, in which I have been trying to stimulate your pure minds by reminding you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken[b] through your apostles.

First of all you must understand this: In the last days mockers will come and, following their own desires, will ridicule us[c] by saying, “What happened to the Messiah’s[d] promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died,[e] everything continues as it did from the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately ignore the fact that long ago the heavens existed and the earth was formed by God’s word out of water and with water, by which the world at that time was deluged with water and destroyed. Now by that same word, the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire and are being kept for the day when ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.

Don’t forget this fact, dear friends: With the Lord a single day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to find room for repentence. 10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day[f] the heavens will disappear with a roaring sound, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be exposed.

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, think of the kind of holy and godly people you ought to be 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire. 13 But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to have the Lord[g] find you at peace and without spot or fault. 15 Think of our Lord’s patience as facilitating salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him. 16 He speaks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, leading to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures.

17 And so, dear friends, since you already know these things, continuously be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of lawless people. Otherwise, you may[h] fall from your secure position. 18 Instead, continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah.[i] Glory belongs to him both now and on that eternal day! Amen.[j]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:1 Lit. second letter
  2. 2 Peter 3:2 The Gk. lacks spoken
  3. 2 Peter 3:3 Cf. Jude 18
  4. 2 Peter 3:4 Lit. to his
  5. 2 Peter 3:4 Lit. fell asleep
  6. 2 Peter 3:10 Lit. On it
  7. 2 Peter 3:14 Lit. have him
  8. 2 Peter 3:17 Lit. people, lest you
  9. 2 Peter 3:18 Or Christ
  10. 2 Peter 3:18 Other mss. lack Amen

The Day of the Lord

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. 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)

Above all, you must understand that in the last days(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(F) 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) 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) By these waters also the world of that time(K) was deluged and destroyed.(L) 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.

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) 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