2 Peter 3

¹This already, beloved, is the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

²that you should remember the words foretold by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles;

³knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, going according to their own evil desires,

⁴and saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For from the time that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue thus from the beginning of creation.'

⁵For this escapes them, willing it so, that heavens existed long ago, and an earth out of water and through water composed by the word of God,

⁶through which the world that then existed, deluged with water, perished.

⁷But the present heavens and the earth, by the same word, are stored up, being kept for fire unto the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly men.

⁸But do not let this one thing escape you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

⁹The Lord is not slow concerning the promise, as some count slowness; but is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and elements, burning with heat, will be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it will not be found.

¹¹Since all these things are thus being dissolved, what kind of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

¹²looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens, being set on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements, burning with heat, are melting?

¹³But, according to his promise, we are awaiting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

¹⁴Therefore, beloved, since you are awaiting these things, be diligent to be found before him spotless and blameless, in peace,

¹⁵And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, even as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you,

¹⁶as also in all the letters, speaking in them concerning these things; in which are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, guard yourselves so that, carried away by the error of the lawless, you may not fall from your own steadfastness,

¹⁸But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.