Demonstration version—prototype quality only—still in development

UST 2PET Chapter 3

3 Fellow believers whom I love, this letter that I am now writing to you is the second letter that I have written to you. I have written both of these letters to you to remind you of the things that your sincere minds already know. 2 I have written these letters in order to remind you of the prophecies that the holy prophets spoke a long time ago. I also want you to remember what the one who rules over us and saves us has commanded you through the teaching of the apostles whom we sent to you.

3 It is important for you to understand that people who mock will come and mock the return of Jesus during the time shortly before Jesus returns. Those people will do whatever they want to do. 4 These mockers will say, “Jesus’ promise to return is not true! We know this because since Israel’s ancestors died, everything has remained the same. It has been the same way since God created everything!” 5 They will say this because they deliberately ignore that God caused the heavens to exist a long time ago by commanding it to be so, and he caused the earth to come out from water and up through water by commanding it to be so. 6 And God, by his command and by water, destroyed the world that existed at that time. He did so by flooding the earth with water. 7 However, God, by the same command, has set apart the heavens and the earth that exist now for fire. God is keeping them for the time when he will judge and destroy people who act wickedly. 8 Fellow believers whom I love, do not ignore this one truth: from God’s perspective a short period of time is no different from a long period of time! 9 The Lord is not acting slowly to fulfill his promise of Jesus’ return. Some people think that this is so. On the contrary, God is being patient with you, because he does not want any of you to be punished eternally. Rather, he wants everyone to repent. 10 In contrast to what those mockers say, the time when the Lord returns will come unexpectedly. At that time there will be a great roaring sound and the heavens will cease to exist. God will also destroy the basic elements of nature by fire. Then God will reveal the earth and everything that has been done in it.

11 Since God will destroy all these things I have just mentioned in the way I have described, you must certainly behave in a holy manner and do what pleases God. 12 Do these things while expecting and trying to speed up the time of Jesus’ return. On account of that day, God will destroy the heavens with fire and melt the basic elements of nature with heat. 13 Although all those events will happen, we are expecting the new heavens and new earth that God has promised to create. Everyone will be righteous in that new universe.

14 Because this is true, fellow believers whom I love, while you are waiting for these things to happen, do your best to make sure that Jesus will see that you are not living sinfully and that you are at peace with God. 15 And think about this: Our Lord Jesus is patient so that more people can be saved. Paul, a fellow believer whom we love, has also said this when he wrote to you. He wrote using the wisdom that God gave him. 16 In all the letters that Paul wrote, he also writes about these things that I have just mentioned. In his letters are also some teachings that are difficult to understand. People who lack knowledge and stability misinterpret those difficult teachings, as well as the rest of the scriptures. God will punish them as a result. 17 Because all these things are true, fellow believers whom I love, and because you already know about these things, keep yourselves from ceasing to live faithfully because you let the wrong teaching of those who live like there is no law deceive you into sinning. 18 Rather, live in such a manner that you experience more and more of the kind acts of the one who rules over us and saves us, Jesus the Messiah. And live in such a manner that you know more and more about him.

I pray that everyone will glorify Jesus both at this time and forever. May this truly be so!

◄ 2PET 3 ║ ═ ©

2PET C1 C2 C3