2 Peter 3:10-18

Contemporary English Version

¹⁰^(A) The day of the Lord's return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe.^[a] Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are.^[b]

¹¹Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. ¹²You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon.^[c] On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat. ¹³^(B) But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to this!

¹⁴My friends, while you are waiting, you should make certain the Lord finds you pure, spotless, and living at peace. ¹⁵Don't forget that the Lord is patient because he wants people to be saved. This is also what our dear friend Paul said when he wrote you with the wisdom God had given him. ¹⁶Paul talks about these same things in all his letters, but part of what he says is hard to understand. Some ignorant and unsteady people even destroy themselves by twisting what he said. They do the same thing with other Scriptures too.

¹⁷My dear friends, you have been warned ahead of time! So don't let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance. ¹⁸Let the gift of undeserved grace and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.^[d]

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Footnotes

3.10 the whole universe: Probably the sun, moon, and stars, or the elements that everything in the universe is made of.
3.10 will be seen for what they are: Some manuscripts have “will go up in flames.”
3.12 and you should try to make it come soon: Or “and you should eagerly desire for that day to come.”
3.18 Amen: Some manuscripts do not have “Amen.”