3:1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
3:2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
3:4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
3:5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
3:6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
3:7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
3:11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
3:12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
3:14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
3:15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
3:16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
3:1 This second letter, beloved, I now write to you; in them both I stir up your sincere mind with a reminder,
3:2 So that you would remember the words spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior preached by your apostles;
3:3 Knowing this first, that in the last of days mockers will come with mocking, going on according to their own lusts
3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue in this way from the beginning of creation.
3:5 For this escapes them by their own choosing, that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth was compacted out of water and through water,
3:6 Through which the world then, being flooded with water, perished.
3:7 But the heavens and the earth now, by the same word, have been stored up for fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
3:8 But do not let this one thing escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.
3:9 The Lord does not delay regarding the promise, as some count delay, but is long-suffering toward you, not intending that any perish but that all advance to repentance.
3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements, burning with intense heat, will be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
3:11 Since all these things are to be thus dissolved, what kind of persons ought you to be in holy manner of life and godliness,
3:12 Expecting and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements, burning with intense heat, are to be melted away?
3:13 But according to His promise we are expecting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you expect these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace without spot and without blemish;
3:15 And count the long-suffering of our Lord to be salvation, even as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you,
3:16 As also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these things, in which some things are hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable twist, as also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know these things beforehand, be on your guard lest being carried away by the error of the lawless, you fall from your own steadfastness.
3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.