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The Day of the Lord

Dear friends, this is now the second letter(A) I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere(B) understanding by way of reminder, so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Saviour given through your apostles. Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days(C) scoffing and following their own evil desires, saying, ‘Where is his “coming” that he promised?(D) Ever since our ancestors fell asleep,(E) all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.’ They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God(F) the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water.(G) Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.(H) By the same word,(I) the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgement(J) and destruction of the ungodly.

Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.(K) The Lord does not delay his promise,(L) as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any(M) to perish(N) but all to come to repentance.(O)

10 But the day of the Lord(P) will come like a thief;[a](Q) on that day the heavens will pass away(R) with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,(S) and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.[b][c] 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.[d](T) Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth,(U) where righteousness dwells.(V)

Conclusion

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.(W) 15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.(X) 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction,(Y) as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,(Z) so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge(AA) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.[e](AB)

Footnotes

  1. 3:10 Other mss add in the night
  2. 3:10 Other mss read will be burned up
  3. 3:10 Some Syriac and Coptic mss read will not be found
  4. 3:12 Or and speed the coming
  5. 3:18 Other mss add Amen.

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,

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.

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,

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].

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];

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

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.]

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].

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.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:12 by which heavens burning shall be dissolved, and elements shall fail by burning, or heat, of fire

The Day of the Lord

Dear friends,(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.(D)

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

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

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward(W) to the day of God and speed its coming.[b](X) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(Y) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(Z) where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless(AA) and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience(AB) means salvation,(AC) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.(AD) 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable(AE) people distort,(AF) as they do the other Scriptures,(AG) to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard(AH) so that you may not be carried away by the error(AI) of the lawless(AJ) and fall from your secure position.(AK) 18 But grow in the grace(AL) and knowledge(AM) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(AN) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
  2. 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come