The Coming Day of the Lord

^3 (A)Know this first of all, that ^(B)in the last days ^(C)mockers will come with their mocking, ^(D)following after their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “^(E)Where is the promise of His ^(F)coming? For ever since the fathers ^[a](G)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were ^(H)from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For ^[b]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that ^(I)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was ^(J)formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which ^(K)the world at that time was ^(L)destroyed by being flooded with water. ⁷ But by His word ^(M)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for ^(N)fire, kept for ^(O)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, ^(P)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and ^(Q)a thousand years like one day. ^9 (R)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but ^(S)is patient toward you, ^(T)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰ But ^(U)the day of the Lord ^(V)will come like a thief, in which ^(W)the heavens ^(X)will pass away with a roar and the ^(Y)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^(Z)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 (AA)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(AB)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(AC)elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His ^(AD)promise we are looking for ^(AE)new heavens and a new earth, ^(AF)in which righteousness dwells.

²⁵ For ^(A)I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this ^(B)mystery—so that you will not be ^(C)wise in your own estimation—that a partial ^(D)hardening has happened to Israel until the ^(E)fullness of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶ and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written:

¹⁶ And I have ^(A)other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become ^(B)one flock, with ^(C)one shepherd.

²⁶ But you do not believe, because ^(A)you are not of My sheep. ²⁷ My sheep ^(B)listen to My voice, and ^(C)I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give them ^(D)eternal life, and they will never perish; and ^(E)no one will snatch them out of My hand. ^29 [a]My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ^30 (F)I and the Father are ^[b]one.”