2 Peter · Majority Standard Bible
2 Peter 3 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
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 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
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 Savior,
3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, following their own evil desires.
3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts
4 “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”
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 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
5 For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God,
6 through which the world of that time perished in the flood.
6 by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished.
7 And by His word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
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 judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
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 in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
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 like a thief in the night. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
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 burned up.
11 Since everything will be destroyed, then, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
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 as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.
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 in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.
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 Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.
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 He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
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 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.
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 Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Timothy 1:6; 2 Peter 1:12–15; 1 Peter 1:1–2; Matthew 5:8; Psalm 73:1
- 2 Jude 17; Luke 1:70; 2 Peter 2:21; Luke 24:44; 2 Peter 1:19–21
- 3 Jude 18; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; 2 Peter 2:10; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Jude 16
- 4 Jeremiah 17:15; Malachi 2:17; Jeremiah 5:12–13; Luke 12:45; Isaiah 5:18–19
- 5 Hebrews 11:3; Psalm 24:2; Genesis 1:9; Genesis 1:6; Psalm 136:6
- 6 Matthew 24:38–39; 2 Peter 2:5; Luke 17:27; Genesis 7:10–23; Job 12:15
- 7 2 Peter 3:10; Isaiah 51:6; 2 Peter 3:12; Revelation 21:1; Matthew 24:35
- 8 Psalm 90:4
- 9 1 Timothy 2:4; Romans 2:4; Habakkuk 2:3; Psalm 86:15; Isaiah 30:18
- 10 Revelation 21:1; Matthew 24:35; 2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 16:15; Isaiah 51:6
- 11 1 Peter 1:15; Philippians 1:27; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Peter 3:12
- 12 2 Peter 3:10; Isaiah 34:4; Micah 1:4; Titus 2:13; Psalm 50:3
- 13 Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:27; Isaiah 60:21
- 14 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Philippians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 John 3:3
- 15 Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20; James 3:17
- 16 Matthew 15:6; Hebrews 5:11; James 1:8; 2 Peter 2:14; Philippians 3:19
- 17 Hebrews 3:14; Colossians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Corinthians 10:12
- 18 Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 2:2; Colossians 3:10; Philippians 3:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And there are some, again, who relegate the death of Adam to the thousandth year; for since "a day of the Lord is as a thousand years," he did not overstep the thousand years, but died within them, thus bearing out the sentence of his sin.
… and was on account of his great sin dismissed from the blessedness of paradise into the woes of this mortal life, so that thus, as it is written, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day," there should follow on the completion of six thousand years, as of six days, a …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year.
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." There is nothing said here about the resurrection of the dead, but enough certainly regarding the destruction of this world.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… it is sufficiently obvious what part of the world is signified by the whole, and in what sense the word perished is to be taken, and what heavens were kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. And when he says a little afterwards, "The day of the Lord will come as …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)