Chapter 3
1 This is now , beloved, the second letter that I have written to you ; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you
2 that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour ,
3 knowing this first , that in the last days mockers will come , walking after their own lusts
4 and saying , " Where is the promise of his coming ? For , from the day that the fathers fell asleep , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation ."
5 For they wilfully forget that there were heavens from of old , and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God ,
6 by which means the world that existed then , being overflowed with water , perished.
7 But the heavens that exist now and the earth , by the same word have been stored up for fire , being reserved against the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men .
8 But don’t forget this one thing , beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years , and a thousand years as one day .
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise , as some count slowness ; but he is patient with us , not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance .
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise , and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat ; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burnt up .
11 Therefore , since all these things will be destroyed like this , what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness ,
12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God , which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved , and the elements will melt with fervent heat ?
13 But , according to his promise , we look for new heavens and a new earth , in which righteousness dwells .
14 Therefore , beloved, seeing that you look for these things , be diligent to be found in peace , without defect and blameless in his sight.
15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation ; even as our beloved brother Paul also , according to the wisdom given to him , wrote to you ,
16 as also in all of his letters , speaking in them of these things . In those , there are some things that are hard to understand , which the ignorant and unsettled twist , as they also do to the other Scriptures , to their own destruction.
17 You therefore , beloved, knowing these things beforehand , beware , lest being carried away with the error of the wicked , you fall from your own steadfastness .
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . To him be the glory both now and forever . Amen.