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The Day of the Lord Is Coming

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

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. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 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.

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. 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.

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

Peter’s Final Words

17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 3:10 Other manuscripts read will be burned up; one early manuscript reads will be found destroyed.

Ταύτην ἤδη, ἀγαπητοί, δευτέραν ὑμῖν γράφω ἐπιστολήν, ἐν αἷς διεγείρω ὑμῶν ἐν ὑπομνήσει τὴν εἰλικρινῆ διάνοιαν, μνησθῆναι τῶν προειρημένων ῥημάτων ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων ὑμῶν ἐντολῆς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος, τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι ἐλεύσονται ἐπ’ [a]ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν [b]ἐν ἐμπαιγμονῇ ἐμπαῖκται κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας αὐτῶν πορευόμενοι καὶ λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ; ἀφ’ ἧς γὰρ οἱ πατέρες ἐκοιμήθησαν, πάντα οὕτως διαμένει ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως. λανθάνει γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦτο θέλοντας ὅτι οὐρανοὶ ἦσαν ἔκπαλαι καὶ γῆ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ δι’ ὕδατος συνεστῶσα τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ, δι’ ὧν ὁ τότε κόσμος ὕδατι κατακλυσθεὶς ἀπώλετο· οἱ δὲ νῦν οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἡ γῆ τῷ [c]αὐτῷ λόγῳ τεθησαυρισμένοι εἰσὶν πυρὶ τηρούμενοι εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως καὶ ἀπωλείας τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Ἓν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ λανθανέτω ὑμᾶς, ἀγαπητοί, ὅτι μία ἡμέρα παρὰ κυρίῳ ὡς χίλια ἔτη καὶ χίλια ἔτη ὡς ἡμέρα μία. οὐ βραδύνει [d]κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδύτητα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς [e]ὑμᾶς, μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι. 10 ἥξει δὲ [f]ἡμέρα κυρίου ὡς [g]κλέπτης, ἐν ᾗ οἱ οὐρανοὶ ῥοιζηδὸν παρελεύσονται, στοιχεῖα δὲ καυσούμενα [h]λυθήσεται, καὶ γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἔργα [i]εὑρεθήσεται.

11 Τούτων [j]οὕτως πάντων λυομένων ποταποὺς δεῖ ὑπάρχειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ἁγίαις ἀναστροφαῖς καὶ εὐσεβείαις, 12 προσδοκῶντας καὶ σπεύδοντας τὴν παρουσίαν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμέρας, δι’ ἣν οὐρανοὶ πυρούμενοι λυθήσονται καὶ στοιχεῖα καυσούμενα τήκεται· 13 καινοὺς δὲ οὐρανοὺς καὶ γῆν καινὴν κατὰ τὸ ἐπάγγελμα αὐτοῦ προσδοκῶμεν, ἐν οἷς δικαιοσύνη κατοικεῖ.

14 Διό, ἀγαπητοί, ταῦτα προσδοκῶντες σπουδάσατε ἄσπιλοι καὶ ἀμώμητοι αὐτῷ εὑρεθῆναι ἐν εἰρήνῃ, 15 καὶ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν μακροθυμίαν σωτηρίαν ἡγεῖσθε, καθὼς καὶ ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸς Παῦλος κατὰ τὴν [k]δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ σοφίαν ἔγραψεν ὑμῖν, 16 ὡς καὶ ἐν πάσαις [l]ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς λαλῶν ἐν αὐταῖς περὶ τούτων, ἐν [m]αἷς ἐστιν δυσνόητά τινα, ἃ οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι στρεβλοῦσιν ὡς καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς γραφὰς πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν. 17 ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, προγινώσκοντες φυλάσσεσθε ἵνα μὴ τῇ τῶν ἀθέσμων πλάνῃ συναπαχθέντες ἐκπέσητε τοῦ ἰδίου στηριγμοῦ, 18 αὐξάνετε δὲ ἐν χάριτι καὶ γνώσει τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος. [n]ἀμήν.

Footnotes

  1. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:3 ἐσχάτων WH Treg NIV] ἐσχάτου RP
  2. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:3 ἐν ἐμπαιγμονῇ WH Treg NIV] – RP
  3. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:7 αὐτῷ WH NIV] αὐτοῦ Treg RP
  4. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:9 κύριος WH Treg NIV] ὁ κύριος RP
  5. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:9 ὑμᾶς WH Treg NIV] ἡμᾶς RP
  6. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:10 ἡμέραWH Treg NIV] ἡ ἡμέρα RP
  7. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:10 κλέπτης WH Treg NIV] + ἐν νυκτί RP
  8. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:10 λυθήσεται WH Treg NIV] λυθήσονται RP
  9. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:10 εὑρεθήσεται WH Treg NIV] κατακαήσεται RP; οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται em ECM
  10. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:11 οὕτως WH NIV] οὖν Treg RP
  11. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:15 δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ WH Treg NIV] αὐτῷ δοθεῖσαν RP
  12. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:16 ταῖς RP] – WH Treg NIV
  13. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:16 αἷς WH Treg NIV] οἷς RP
  14. ΠΕΤΡΟΥ Β΄ 3:18 ἀμήν Treg NIV RP] – WH

Purpose of This Letter

(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, 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

(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, 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.” 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, through which (P)the world at that time was (Q)destroyed by being flooded with water. 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.

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. (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

The Day of the Lord Will Come

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them (A)I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, (B)that you should remember the predictions of (C)the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come (D)in the last days with scoffing, (E)following their own sinful desires. (F)They will say, “Where is the promise of (G)his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth (H)was formed out of water and through water (I)by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed (J)was deluged with water and (K)perished. But by the same word (L)the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and (M)destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and (N)a thousand years as one day. (O)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise (P)as some count slowness, but (Q)is patient toward you,[a] (R)not wishing that any should perish, but (S)that all should reach repentance. 10 But (T)the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then (U)the heavens will pass away with a roar, and (V)the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.[c]

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, (W)what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 (X)waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and (Y)the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for (Z)new heavens and a new earth (AA)in which righteousness dwells.

Final Words

14 (AB)Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him (AC)without spot or (AD)blemish, and (AE)at peace. 15 And count (AF)the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as (AG)our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (AH)according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. (AI)There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, (AJ)as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, (AK)knowing this beforehand, (AL)take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But (AM)grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (AN)To him be the glory both now and to the day of (AO)eternity. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:9 Some manuscripts on your account
  2. 2 Peter 3:10 Or elements; also verse 12
  3. 2 Peter 3:10 Greek found; some manuscripts will be burned up