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2 Peter 3
Christian Standard Bible
2 Peter 3
Christian Standard Bible
The Day of the Lord
3 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, 2 so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 3 Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days(C) scoffing and following their own evil desires, 4 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.” 5 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) 6 Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.(H) 7 By the same word,(I) the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment(J) and destruction of the ungodly.
8 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) 9 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 Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.[e](AB)
2 Peter 3
English Standard Version
2 Peter 3
English Standard Version
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 (A)I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 (B)that you should remember the predictions of (C)the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come (D)in the last days with scoffing, (E)following their own sinful desires. 4 (F)They will say, “Where is the promise of (G)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 (H)was formed out of water and through water (I)by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed (J)was deluged with water and (K)perished. 7 But by the same word (L)the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and (M)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 (N)a thousand years as one day. 9 (O)The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise (P)as some count slowness, but (Q)is patient toward you,[a] (R)not wishing that any should perish, but (S)that all should reach repentance. 10 But (T)the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then (U)the heavens will pass away with a roar, and (V)the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.[c]
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, (W)what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 (X)waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and (Y)the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for (Z)new heavens and a new earth (AA)in which righteousness dwells.
Final Words
14 (AB)Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him (AC)without spot or (AD)blemish, and (AE)at peace. 15 And count (AF)the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as (AG)our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (AH)according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. (AI)There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, (AJ)as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, (AK)knowing this beforehand, (AL)take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But (AM)grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (AN)To him be the glory both now and to the day of (AO)eternity. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:9 Some manuscripts on your account
- 2 Peter 3:10 Or elements; also verse 12
- 2 Peter 3:10 Greek found; some manuscripts will be burned up
2 Peter 3
New International Version
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
- 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
- 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.