2 Peter 3
New King James Version
God’s Promise Is Not Slack(A)
3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which (B)I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words (C)which were spoken before by the holy prophets, (D)and of the commandment of [a]us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, (E)walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of (F)creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that (G)by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth (H)standing out of water and in the water, 6 (I)by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But (J)the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for (K)fire until the day of judgment and [b]perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and (L)a thousand years as one day. 9 (M)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but (N)is longsuffering toward [c]us, (O)not willing that any should perish but (P)that all should come to repentance.
The Day of the Lord
10 But (Q)the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which (R)the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [d]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be (S)in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (T)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will (U)be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will (V)melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for (W)new heavens and a (X)new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent (Y)to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that (Z)the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his (AA)epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the (AB)rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, (AC)since you know this beforehand, (AD)beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 (AE)but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
(AF)To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:2 NU, M the apostles of your Lord and Savior or your apostles of the Lord and Savior
- 2 Peter 3:7 destruction
- 2 Peter 3:9 NU you
- 2 Peter 3:10 NU laid bare, lit. found
2 Peter 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 He showeth that he writeth the same things again. 2 Because they must often be stirred up, 3 because dangers hang over their heads through certain mockers. 8 Therefore he warneth the godly that they do not after the judgment of the flesh, 12 appoint the day of the Lord, 14 but that they think it always at hand, 15 in which doctrine he showeth that Paul agreeth with him.
1 This [a]second Epistle I now write unto you, beloved, wherewith I stir up, and warn your pure minds,
2 To call to remembrance the words, which were told before of the holy Prophets, and also the commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Savior.
3 (A)[b]This first understand, that there shall come in the last days, [c]mockers, which will walk after their lusts,
4 [d]And say, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the Fathers died, all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation.
5 [e]For this they willingly know not, that the heavens were of old, and the [f]earth that was of the water, and by the water, by the word of God.
6 [g]Wherefore the world that then was, perished, overflowed with the [h]water.
7 [i]But the heavens and earth, which are now, are kept by the same word in store, and reserved unto fire against the day of condemnation, and of the destruction of ungodly men.
8 [j]Dearly beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord, (B)as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 [k]The Lord of that promise is not slack (as some men count slackness) [l]but is patient toward us, and (C)would have no man to perish, but would all men to come to repentance.
10 [m]But the day (D)of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a [n]noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up.
11 [o]Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved, what manner persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for, and [p]hasting unto the coming of that day of God, by the which the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with heat?
13 But we look for (E)new heavens, and a new earth, according to his promise, [q]wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in [r]peace, without spot and blameless.
15 (F)And suppose that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, [s]even as our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given unto him wrote to you.
16 As one that in all his Epistles speaketh of these things: [t]among the [u]which, some things are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest, as they do also other Scriptures unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware, lest ye be also plucked away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: to him be glory both now and for evermore. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:1 The remedy against those wicked enemies both of true doctrine and holiness, is to be sought for by the continual meditation of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles.
- 2 Peter 3:3 He voucheth the second coming of Christ against the Epicureans by name.
- 2 Peter 3:3 Monstrous men, who will seem wise by their contempt of God, and wicked boldness.
- 2 Peter 3:4 The reason which these mockers pretend because the course of nature is all one as it was from the beginning: therefore the world is from everlasting, and shall be forever.
- 2 Peter 3:5 He setteth against them the creation of heaven and earth by the word of God, which these men are willingly ignorant of.
- 2 Peter 3:5 Which appeared when the waters were gathered together into one place.
- 2 Peter 3:6 Secondly, he setteth against them the universal flood which was the destruction, as it were of the whole world.
- 2 Peter 3:6 For the waters returning into their former place this world, that is to say, this beauty of the earth which we see, and all living creatures which live upon the earth perished.
- 2 Peter 3:7 Thirdly, he pronounceth that it shall not be harder for God to burn heaven and earth with fire in that day which is appointed for the destruction of the wicked, (which thing he will also do) than it was for him in times past to make them with his only word and afterward to overwhelm them with water.
- 2 Peter 3:8 The taking away of an objection: in that he seemeth to defer this judgment a long season, in respect of us it is true, but not before God with whom there is no time either long or short.
- 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord will surely come, because he hath promised: and that neither sooner nor later than he hath promised.
- 2 Peter 3:9 A reason why the latter day cometh not out of hand, because God doth patiently wait till the elect are brought to repentance, that none of them may perish.
- 2 Peter 3:10 A very short description of the least distinction of the world, but in such sort as nothing could be spoken more gravely.
- 2 Peter 3:10 With the violence as it were of a hissing storm.
- 2 Peter 3:11 An exhortation to purity of life, setting before us that horrible judgment of God both to bridle our wantonness, and also to comfort us, so that we be found watching and ready to meet him at his coming.
- 2 Peter 3:12 He requireth patience of us, yet such patience as is not slothful.
- 2 Peter 3:13 In which heavens.
- 2 Peter 3:14 That you may try to your profit, how gentle and peaceable he is.
- 2 Peter 3:15 Paul’s Epistles are allowed by the express testimony of Peter.
- 2 Peter 3:16 There be certain of these things obscure and dark, whereof the unlearned take occasion to overthrow some men that stand not fast, wrestling the testimonies of the Scripture to their own destruction. But this is the remedy against such deceit, to labor that we may daily more and more grow up and increase in the knowledge of Christ.
- 2 Peter 3:16 That is to say, among the which things: for he disputeth not here whether Paul’s Epistles be plain or dark, but saith, that amongst those things which Paul hath written of his Epistles, and Peter himself in these two of his own, there are some things which cannot be easily understood, and therefore are of some drawn to their own destruction: and this he saith to make us more attentive and diligent, and not remove us from the reading of holy things, for to what end should they have written vain speculations?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
