2 Peter 3
1THIS second letter, beloved, I now write to you; in both which I stir up your pure mind by putting you in remembrance;
2that ye may be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Savior by your apostles;
3knowing this first, that there shall come in the last of the days scoffers, in their scoffings, walking after their own lusts,
4and saying: Where is the promise of his coming? for from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things so continue, from the beginning of the creation.
5For of this they willingly are ignorant, that by the word of God there were heavens of old, and earth framed out of water and by means of water,
6whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished;
7but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by his word are kept in store, being reserved for fire unto the day of judgment and of perdition of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not tardy in respect to the promise, as some account tardiness; but is long-suffering toward us[3:9], not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will be dissolved with burning heat, and the earth and the works therein will be burned up.
11Seeing then that all these things are dissolving, what manner of men ought ye to be, in all holy deportment and godliness;
12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with burning heat?
13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent that ye may be found without spot and blameless in his sight, in peace.
15And the long-suffering of our Lord account salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you;
16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which things are some that are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the lawless, ye fall from your own steadfastness.
18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and forever. Amen.