1 The Day of the Lord Will Come This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviorspokenby your apostles,
3 knowing this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come withtheirmocking, following after their own lusts,
4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
5 For 3:5Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of Godtheheavens existed long ago andtheearth was formed out of water and by water,
6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being deluged with water.
7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not let this onefactescape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and 3:10Lit the works in it its works will be 3:10Some mss burned up foundout.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
13 But according to His promise we are looking fornew heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.Be on Your Guard
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are looking for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
15 and consider the patience of our Lordassalvation, just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
16 as also in allhisletters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, asthey doalso the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest you, having been carried away by the error of unprincipled men, fall from your own steadfastness,
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Himbethe glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.