¹¹ Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil.

⁴ Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?^{(A) 5} But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.^(B)

³ First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts^{(A) 4} and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died,^[a] all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!”^{(B) 5} They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water,^{(C) 6} through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished.^{(D) 7} But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.^(E)

⁸ But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.^{(F) 9} The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,^[b] not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.^{(G) 10} But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.^[c](H)