2 Peter 3:1–10

The Coming Day of the Lord

3Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, ²to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires ⁴and 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.” ⁵For when^* 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, ⁶by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by^* being inundated with water. ⁷But 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.

⁸Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. ⁹The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he^* does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by^* being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed.