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

¶ Carísimos, yo os escribo ahora esta segunda carta, por la cual despierto con exhortación vuestro limpio entendimiento;

para que tengáis memoria de las palabras que antes han sido dichas por los santos profetas, y de nuestro mandamiento, que somos apóstoles del Señor y Salvador;

¶ sabiendo primero esto, que en los postrimeros días vendrán burladores, andando según sus propias concupiscencias,

y diciendo: ¿Dónde está la Promesa de su advenimiento? Porque desde el día en que los padres durmieron, todas las cosas permanecen así como desde el principio de la creación.

Cierto, ellos ignoran voluntariamente, que los cielos fueron creados en el tiempo antiguo y la tierra salida del agua y en el agua, por la palabra de Dios;

por lo cual el mundo de entonces pereció anegado por agua;

pero los cielos que son ahora, y la tierra, son conservados por la misma Palabra, guardados para el fuego en el día del juicio, y de la perdición de los hombres impíos.

¶ Mas, oh amados, no ignoréis una cosa: y es que un día delante del Señor es como mil años y mil años son como un día.

¶ El Señor no tarda su promesa, como algunos la tienen por tardanza; pero es paciente para con nosotros, no queriendo que ninguno se pierda, sino que todos procedan al arrepentimiento.

10 Pero el día del Señor vendrá como ladrón en la noche; en el cual los cielos pasarán con grande estruendo, y los elementos ardiendo, serán deshechos, y la tierra y las obras que en ella están, serán quemadas.

11 ¶ Pues como sea así que todas estas cosas han de ser deshechas, ¿no conviene que vosotros seáis en santas y pías conversaciones,

12 esperando y apresurándoos para la venida del día de Dios, en el cual los cielos siendo encendidos, serán deshechos, y los elementos siendo abrasados, se fundirán?

13 Pero esperamos cielos nuevos y tierra nueva, según sus Promesas, en los cuales mora la justicia.

14 Por lo cual, oh amados, estando en esperanza de estas cosas, procurad con diligencia que seáis hallados de él sin mácula, y sin reprensión, en paz.

15 Y tened por salud la paciencia de nuestro Señor; como también nuestro amado hermano Pablo, según la sabiduría que le ha sido dada, os ha escrito también;

16 casi en todas sus epístolas, hablando en ellas de estas cosas; entre las cuales hay algunas difíciles de entender, las cuales los indoctos e inconstantes tuercen, como también las otras Escrituras, para perdición de sí mismos.

17 Así que vosotros, oh amados, pues estáis amonestados, guardaos que por el error de los abominables no seáis juntamente con los otros engañados, y caigáis de vuestra firmeza.

18 Mas creced en la gracia, y el conocimiento de nuestro Señor y Salvador, Jesucristo. A él sea gloria ahora y hasta el día de la eternidad. Amén.

The Day of the Lord Will Come

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, 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, (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, 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.” 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, through which (P)the world at that time was (Q)destroyed, being deluged with water. 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.

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. (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