This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which aI stir up your bpure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That cye may be mindful of the words dwhich were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us cthe apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come ein the last days scoffers, fwalking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, gWhere is the promise of hhis coming? for since the fathers ifell asleep, all things continue as they were jfrom the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that kby the word of God the heavens were lof old, and the earth †mstanding out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, nbeing overflowed with water, perished: 7 But othe heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto pfire against qthe day of judgment and rperdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and sa thousand years as one day. 9 tThe Lord is not slack concerning his promise, uas some men count slackness; but vis longsuffering to us-ward, wnot willing that any should perish, but xthat all should come to repentance.