Open English Translation 2PET Chapter 3

3 This is now my second letter to you my friends—both of which were sent as reminders to stir up your minds to sincerely 2 remember the messages spoken in the past by the holy prophets as well as the instruction of the Lord and saviour that came via your apostles. 3 [ref]Firstly you should know that mockers will come during the last days, scoffing, following their own lusts 4 and saying, “What about his promised return? Everything has just continued as usual from the beginning of creation right past the time when the ancestors died. 5 [ref]But because of their desires, the truth is hidden from them that the universe came into being long ago by God’s spoken command and the earth was formed out of water and through water 6 [ref]and these same waters deluged the ancient world which then perished. 7 But the present universe and the earth have been preserved by that same command, to be kept for fire in the day of judgement and destruction of those who are ungodly.

8 [ref]But don’t let this one thing escape your attention my dear friends, that one day for us is like a thousand years with the Lord, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord isn’t slow in fulfilling his promise as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you—not wanting anyone to perish but rather wanting everyone to come to repentance.

10 [ref]But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, when the universe will suddenly pass away, its components will burn up and be destroyed, and the earth and what happened on it will be examined. 11 Since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people should you be? Holy and godly in conduct, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God when the universe will be set alight and destroyed and its components will melt as they burn up. 13 [ref]But we await a new universe and a new earth filled with righteousness according to his promise.

14 And so dear friends, while you await these events be eager and found to be at peace with him—spotless and blameless. 15 And consider the patience of our Lord as leading to salvation as our dear brother Paul wrote to you using the wisdom that has been given to him. 16 He speaks in all his letters concerning these things, some of which are hard to understand and which ignorant and unstable people twist just like they twist the other scriptures to their own destruction.

17 So knowing this in advance dear friends, guard yourselves in case you fall from your own stable position with the same errors as the lawless ones. 18 Rather grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and saviour Yeshua Messiah. May the glory be his, both now and through the days of eternity. Amen.