2 Peter 3

THE DAY OF THE LORD

3Dear friends, this is now the second letter^x I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere^y understanding by way of reminder, ²so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. ³Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days^z scoffing and following their own evil desires, ⁴saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised?^aa Ever since our ancestors fell asleep,^ab all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” ⁵They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God^ac the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water.^{ad 6}Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.^{ae 7}By the same word,^af the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment^ag and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.^{ah 9}The Lord does not delay his promise,^ai as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any^aj to perish^ak but all to come to repentance.^al

¹⁰But the day of the Lord^am will come like a thief;^Dan on that day the heavens will pass away^ao with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,^ap and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.^{EF 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 ¹²as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.^Gaq Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. ¹³But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth,^a where righteousness dwells.^b

CONCLUSION

¹⁴Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.^{c 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.^{d 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,^e as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

¹⁷Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,^f so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge^g of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.^Ah