^3:5For they deliberately suppress this fact,¹⁷ that by the word of God¹⁸ heavens existed long ago and an earth¹⁹ was formed out of water and by means of water. ^3:6Through these things²⁰ the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

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Footnotes

17 The Greek is difficult at this point. An alternative is “Even though they maintain this, it escapes them that …” Literally the idea seems to be: “For this escapes these [men] who wish [it to be so].”
18 The word order in Greek places “the word of God” at the end of the sentence. See discussion in the note on “these things” in v. .
19 Or “land,” “the earth.”
20 The antecedent is ambiguous. It could refer to the heavens, the heavens and earth, or the water and the word. If the reference is to the heavens, the author is reflecting on the Genesis account about “the floodgates of the heavens” being opened (Gen 7:11). If the reference is to the heavens and earth, he is also thinking about the cosmic upheaval that helped to produce the flood (Gen 6:11). If the reference is to the water and the word, he is indicating both the means (water) and the cause (word of God). This last interpretation is the most likely since the final nouns of v. 5 are “water” and “word of God,” making them the nearest antecedents.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water. Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.

NLTNew Living Translation

They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For 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, by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water.

KJV 1900King James Version

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

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