The Coming Judgment

¹ Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking ² by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

³ Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.⁴ “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”

⁵ But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word^* the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which the world of that time perished in the flood. ⁷ And by that same word,^* the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The Day of the Lord

⁸ Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth^* and its works^* will be laid bare.^*

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves^* in holiness and godliness^{* 12} as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,^* where righteousness dwells.

Final Exhortations

¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace— spotless and blameless in His sight.

¹⁵ Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation,^* just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him. ¹⁶ He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand,^* which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures,^* to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing. ¹⁸ But 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.

Amen.