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.