2 Peter 2:9-3:13

English Standard Version

⁹ then ^(A)the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,^[a] and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially ^(B)those who indulge^[b] in the lust of defiling passion and ^(C)despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble ^(D)as they blaspheme the glorious ones, ^11 (E)whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. ^12 (F)But these, like irrational animals, ^(G)creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(H)the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure ^(I)to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions,^[c] while ^(J)they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^{[d] (K)}insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts ^(L)trained in greed. ^(M)Accursed children! ¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(N)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(O)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(P)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(Q)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (R)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(S)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(T)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(U)escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them ^(V)freedom, ^(W)but they themselves are slaves^[e] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, ^(X)after they have escaped the defilements of the world ^(Y)through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, ^(Z)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For ^(AA)it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from ^(AB)the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The ^(AC)dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

The Day of the Lord Will Come

3 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them ^(AD)I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ^2 (AE)that you should remember the predictions of ^(AF)the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³ knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come ^(AG)in the last days with scoffing, ^(AH)following their own sinful desires. ^4 (AI)They will say, “Where is the promise of ^(AJ)his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth ^(AK)was formed out of water and through water ^(AL)by the word of God, ⁶ and that by means of these the world that then existed ^(AM)was deluged with water and ^(AN)perished. ⁷ But by the same word ^(AO)the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and ^(AP)destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and ^(AQ)a thousand years as one day. ^9 (AR)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise ^(AS)as some count slowness, but ^(AT)is patient toward you,^{[f] (AU)}not wishing that any should perish, but ^(AV)that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But ^(AW)the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then ^(AX)the heavens will pass away with a roar, and ^(AY)the heavenly bodies^[g] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.^[h]

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