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The Second Epistle General of Peter

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 3 -

(Genesis 7:1–24; Jude 1:17–23)
1
Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
2
by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3
Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(a)
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.”
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,
6
through which (b) the world of that time perished in the flood.
7
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The Day of the Lord

(Zephaniah 1:7–18; Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)
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.(c)
9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed (d) by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.(e)
11
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness 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.
13
But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Final Exhortations

14
Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.(f)
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.
16
He writes this way in all his letters,(g) speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort,(h) as they do the rest of the 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.
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.(i)

Footnotes

(a)3:3 See Jude 1:18.
(b)3:6 NA through whom
(c)3:8 See Psalms 90:4.
(d)3:10 Or dissolved; also in verses 11 and 12.
(e)3:10 Or will not be found. BYZ and TR will be burned up; SBL, NE, and WH will be found, i.e., will be unable to hide.
(f)3:14 Or to be found by Him in peace, without spot and without blemish.
(g)3:16 Or in all the letters
(h)3:16 NA will distort
(i)3:18 NE, WH, and NA do not include Amen.
(Genesis 7:1–24; Jude 1:17–23)
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
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
knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts
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
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
by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished.
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.

The Day of the Lord

(Zephaniah 1:7–18; Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)
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 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 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
Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
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, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Final Exhortations

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
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
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
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 forever. Amen.
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