2 Peter 3

¹ This is already, beloved, the second epistle I am writing to you in which I am rousing your sincere comprehension by a reminder ² to remind you of the declarations which have been declared before by the holy prophets, and of the precept of your apostles of the Lord and Saviour, ³ knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will be coming with scoffing, going according to their own desires ⁴ and saying, "Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers were put to repose, all is continuing thus from the beginning of creation." ⁵ For they want to be oblivious of this, that there were heavens of old, and an earth cohering out of water and through water, by the word of God; ⁶ through which the then world, being deluged by water, perished. ⁷ Yet the heavens now, and the earth, by the same word, are stored with fire, being kept for the day of the judging and destruction of irreverent men. ⁸ Now of this one thing you are not to be oblivious, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not tardy as to the promise, as some are deeming tardiness, but is patient because of you, not intending any to perish, but all to make room for repentance. ¹⁰ Now the day of the Lord will be arriving as a thief, in which the heavens shall be passing by with a booming noise, yet the elements shall be dissolved by combustion, and the earth and the works in it shall be found. ¹¹ At these all, then, dissolving, to what manner of men must you belong in holy behavior and devoutness, ¹² hoping for and hurrying the presence of God's day, because of which the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements decompose by combustion! ¹³ Yet we, according to His promises, are hoping for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness is dwelling. ¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, hoping for these things, endeavor to be found by Him in peace, unspotted and flawless. ¹⁵ And be deeming the patience of our Lord salvation, according as our beloved brother Paul also writes to you, according to the wisdom given to him, ¹⁶ as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, in which are some things hard to apprehend, which the unlearned and unstable are twisting, as the rest of the scriptures also, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You, then, beloved, knowing this before, be on your guard lest, being led away with the deception of the dissolute, you should be falling from your own steadfastness. ¹⁸ Yet be growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory now, as well as for the day of the eon. Amen!