1 This, now, beloved, a second letter to you I write, in both which I stir up your pure mind in reminding [you], 2 to be mindful of the sayings said before by the holy prophets, and of the command of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour, 3 this first knowing, that there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers, according to their own desires going on, 4 and saying, 'Where is the promise of his presence? for since the fathers did fall asleep, all things so remain from the beginning of the creation;' 5 for this is unobserved by them willingly, that the heavens were of old, and the earth out of water and through water standing together by the word of God, 6 through which the then world, by water having been deluged, was destroyed; 7 and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men. 8 And this one thing let not be unobserved by you, beloved, that one day with the Lord [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; 9 the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation, 10 and it will come — the day of the Lord — as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away, and the elements with burning heat be dissolved, and earth and the works in it shall be burnt up. 11 All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts? 12 waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt; 13 and for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise we do wait, in which righteousness doth dwell; 14 wherefore, beloved, these things waiting for, be diligent, spotless and unblameable, by Him to be found in peace, 15 and the long-suffering of our Lord count ye salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul — according to the wisdom given to him — did write to you, 16 as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, among which things are certain hard to be understood, which the untaught and unstable do wrest, as also the other Writings, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness, 18 and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him [is] the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.
2 Peter · Young's Literal Translation
2 Peter 3 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)