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2 Peter 3
Lexham English Bible

The Coming Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, 2 to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since[a] the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued just as they have been from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when[b] they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by[c] being inundated with water. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he[d] does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by[e] being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed. 11 Because[f] all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness, 12 while[g] waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by[h] being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they[i] are consumed by heat! 13 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

Final Exhortations and Conclusion

14 Therefore, dear friends, because you[j] are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him. 15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him, 16 as he does also in all his[k][l] letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, because you[m] know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you[n] have been led away by the error of lawless persons. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:4 Literally “from which time”
  2. 2 Peter 3:5 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“maintain”) which is understood as temporal
  3. 2 Peter 3:6 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“being inundated”) which is understood as means
  4. 2 Peter 3:9 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“want”) which is understood as causal
  5. 2 Peter 3:10 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“being burned up”) which is understood as means
  6. 2 Peter 3:11 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are being destroyed”) which is understood as causal
  7. 2 Peter 3:12 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“waiting for”) which is understood as temporal
  8. 2 Peter 3:12 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“being burned up”) which is understood as means
  9. 2 Peter 3:12 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are consumed by heat”) which is understood as temporal
  10. 2 Peter 3:14 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are waiting for”) which is understood as causal
  11. 2 Peter 3:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  12. 2 Peter 3:16 Some manuscripts do not explicitly state “his”
  13. 2 Peter 3:17 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know beforehand”) which is understood as causal
  14. 2 Peter 3:17 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have been led away”) which is understood as causal
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2 Peter 3
Legacy Standard Bible

The Day of the Lord Will Come

3 This is now, (A)beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am (B)stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should (C)remember the words spoken beforehand by (D)the holy prophets and (E)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles, 3 (F)knowing this first of all, that (G)in the last days (H)mockers will come with their mocking, (I)following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “(J)Where is the promise of His (K)coming? For since the fathers (L)fell asleep, all continues just as it was (M)from the beginning of creation.” 5 For [a]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that (N)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was (O)formed out of water and by water, 6 through which (P)the world at that time was (Q)destroyed, being deluged with water. 7 But by His word (R)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for (S)fire, being kept for (T)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, (U)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and (V)a thousand years like one day. 9 (W)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but (X)is patient toward you, (Y)not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But (Z)the day of the Lord (AA)will come like a thief, in which (AB)the heavens (AC)will pass away with a roar and the (AD)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and (AE)the earth and [b]its works will be [c]found out.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (AF)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which (AG)the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the (AH)elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His (AI)promise we are looking for (AJ)new heavens and a new earth, (AK)in which righteousness dwells.

Be on Your Guard

14 (AL)Therefore, (AM)beloved, since you are looking for these things, be diligent to be (AN)found by Him in peace, (AO)spotless and blameless, 15 and consider the (AP)patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also (AQ)our beloved brother Paul, (AR)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of (AS)these things, (AT)in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and (AU)unstable distort, as they do also (AV)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, (AW)beloved, knowing this beforehand, (AX)be on your guard lest you, having been carried away by (AY)the error of (AZ)unprincipled men, (BA)fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and (BB)knowledge of our (BC)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (BD)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 3:5 Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that
  2. 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
  3. 2 Peter 3:10 Some mss burned up
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2 Peter 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

3 Behold this second epistle I write to you, my dearly beloved, in which I stir up by way of admonition your sincere mind:

2 That you may be mindful of those words which I told you before from the holy prophets, and of your apostles, of the precepts of the Lord and Saviour.

3 Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 Saying: Where is his promise or his coming? for since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they are wilfully ignorant of, that the heavens were before, and the earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God.

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.

7 But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.

8 But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance.

10 But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and the elements shall be melted with heat, and the earth and the works which are in it, shall be burnt up.

11 Seeing then that all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness?

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord, by which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with the burning heat?

13 But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promises, in which justice dwelleth.

14 Wherefore, dearly beloved, waiting for these things, be diligent that you may be found before him unspotted and blameless in peace.

15 And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.

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2 Peter 3
New International Version

The Day of the Lord

3 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. 2 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)

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(F) 4 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) 5 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) 6 By these waters also the world of that time(K) was deluged and destroyed.(L) 7 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.

8 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) 9 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
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