3 Lo! ye most dear-worthy brethren, I write to you this second epistle [Lo! I write to you, most dear, this second epistle], in which I stir your clear soul by admonishing together,

² that ye be mindful of those words [that ye be mindful of the words], that I before-said of the holy prophets, and of the commandments of the holy apostles of the Lord and Saviour.

³ First know ye this thing, that in the last days deceivers shall come in deceit [First knowing this thing, that in the last days scorners shall come in deceit], going after their own covetings,

⁴ saying, Where is the promise, or the coming of him? for since the fathers died, all things last from the beginning of creature [for since fathers slept, either died, so all things last from the beginning of creature].

⁵ But it is hid from them willing this thing, that heavens were before, and the earth of water was standing by water, by God's word [that heavens were first, and the earth of water and by water being, or standing, together by God's word];

⁶ by which [things] that same world cleansed, then by water perished.

⁷ But the heavens that now be, and the earth, be kept by the same word, and be reserved to fire into the day of doom and perdition of wicked men. [Forsooth the heavens that now be, and the earth, by the same word put again, be kept to fire into the day of doom and perdition of unpious men.]

⁸ But, ye most dear, this one thing be not hid to you [be not unknown], that one day with God is as a thousand years, and a thousand years be as one day [and a thousand years as one day].

⁹ The Lord tarrieth not his promise, as some [men] guess, but he doeth patiently for you, and will not that any man perish [not willing any to perish], but that all turn again to penance.

¹⁰ For the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which heavens with great rush shall pass [in which heavens with great rush, or fierceness, shall pass], and elements shall be dissolved by heat, and the earth, and all the works that be in it, shall be burnt.

¹¹ Therefore when all these things shall be dissolved, what manner men behooveth it you to be in holy livings and piety [in holy livings and pieties],

¹² abiding and hieing into the coming of the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom heavens burning shall be dissolved, and elements shall fail by burning of fire^[a].

¹³ Also we abide by his promises [Soothly we abide after his promise] new heavens and new earth, in which rightwiseness dwelleth.

¹⁴ For which thing, ye most dear, abiding these things, be ye busy to be found to him in peace unspotted and undefouled [in peace unspotted and unfouled].

¹⁵ And deem ye long abiding of our Lord Jesus Christ your health, as also our most dear brother Paul wrote to you, by wisdom given to him. [And deem ye the long abiding of our Lord your health, as and our most dear brother Paul wrote to you, after wisdom given to him.]

¹⁶ As and in all his epistles he speaketh in them of these things; in which be some hard things to understand, which unwise and unstable men deprave [As and in all epistles he speaking in them of these things; in which be some hard things in understanding, the which unwise, or untaught, and unstable men deprave], as also they do other scriptures, to their own perdition.

¹⁷ Therefore ye, brethren, before-witting keep yourselves, lest ye be deceived by error of unwise men, and fall away from your own firmness. [Therefore ye, brethren, before-witting keep yourselves, lest ye over-led, or deceived, by error of unwise men, fall away from your own firmness.]

¹⁸ But wax ye in the grace and the knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Saviour; to him be glory now and into the day of everlastingness. Amen.