Anticipating the Day of the Lord
2 Peter 3Beloved, this is now the second letter that I have written to y’all. In both, I am stimulating y’all as a reminder to sincere thinking. I want y’all to recall the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through y’all’s apostles. Above all, y’all should understand that in the last days mockers will come, following their own desires and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors fell asleep, everything continues as it was from the beginning of the creation.” For they willfully forget that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water. Through these waters the world at that time was deluged and destroyed. But by the same word, the present heavens and earth, are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly humans.
But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness. Rather ʜᴇ is patient with us, not wishing anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be destroyed in a blaze of fire, and the earth and its deeds will be burned up. Therefore, since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should y’all be? Y’all’s way of life should be in holiness and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt in a blaze. But according to ʜɪꜱ promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, as y’all are anticipating these things, be diligent to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him. Y’all should regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved sibling Paul also wrote to y’all according to the wisdom given to him, speaking this way and of these things in all his letters. Some things in them are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, beloved, since y’all know these things beforehand, be on guard so that y’all won’t be led astray by the error of the wicked, and fall from your* firm condition. But y’all ought to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.