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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]

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Footnotes

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

The Coming Day of the Lord

First of all, know [without any doubt] that mockers will come in the last days with their mocking, following after their own human desires and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming [what has become of it]? For ever since the fathers fell asleep [in death], all things have continued [exactly] as they did from the beginning of creation.” 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, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water.(A) 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.

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) 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 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. 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.”

Above all, you must understand that in the last days(A) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(B) They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?(C) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”(D) But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word(E) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.(F) By these waters also the world of that time(G) was deluged and destroyed.(H) By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,(I) being kept for the day of judgment(J) 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.(K) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(L) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(M) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(N)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(O) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(P) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(Q) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a](R)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up