1Dear ones, this is now a second letter I am writing to you (in both of which I stir up your sincere mind by way of reminder),
2so that you remember the words that were spoken before by the holy prophets and the command of the Lord and Savior, through your apostles.
3Knowing this first: in the last days mockers will come, living according to their own lusts
4and saying: “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5This because they deliberately ignore that heavens and land (out of water and through water) had been existing from of old by the word of God,
6by which word the world that then was perished, being flooded by water.
7But the current heavens, and the earth, are being reserved by His word for fire, being preserved until the day of judgment and perdition of godless men.
8But dear ones, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider delay, but rather is patient toward us, not wishing anyone to perish but all to come into repentance.
10However, the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night, in which heavens will pass away with a whoosh, while the elements will be dissolved by burning—both the earth and the works in it will be completely consumed.
11Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
12expecting and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13Nevertheless, we look for new heavens and a new earth in which dwells righteousness, according to His promise.
14Therefore, dear ones, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, faultless and blameless;
15and consider the longsuffering of our Lord to be salvation—just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,
16as also in all his epistles (speaking in them of these things, about which there are some things hard to understand), which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17You therefore, dear ones, being forewarned, be on guard lest, being carried away by the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.
18Rather, may you grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and into the eternal day. Amen.
