The Promise of the Lord's Coming

3 Beloved, this is now the second letter that I am writing to you. In both of them I have tried to stir up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 so that you remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of [fn]our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 3 First of all, you must understand that scoffers will come in the last [fn]days, walking according to their own lusts. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 They deliberately overlook the fact that by the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth emerged through the water and was separated from the water. 6 And by [fn]the water and the word, the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 Furthermore, by [fn]his word the heavens and the earth that now exist have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient toward [fn]us, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief [fn]in the night. On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will [fn]be burned up.

11 [fn]Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what sort of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God. On that day the heavens will be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements will melt in the intense heat. 13 But, according to his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, as you wait for these things, be diligent to be found at peace, spotless and blameless in his sight. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. Some [fn]of the things he says are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people [fn]twist to their own destruction, just as they do with the other Scriptures. 17 Therefore, beloved, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you will not be led astray by the error of these lawless men and fall from your own secure position. 18 But [fn]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. [fn]Amen.