1This is now the second letter, beloved, that I am writing to you; in both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior given through your apostles.
3Know this first: that in the last of days scoffers will come with scoffing, walking according to their own desires,
4and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5For in maintaining this they deliberately overlook that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
6through which the world of that time was destroyed, deluged with water.
7But by the same word the present heavens and earth are stored up, being kept for fire on a day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.
8But do not let this one thing escape you, beloved: that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is patient toward you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements, being burned up, will be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it will be found out.
11Since all these things are thus being dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12awaiting and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens, being set on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements, being burned up, will melt!
13But according to his promise we are awaiting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14Therefore, beloved, awaiting these things, be diligent to be found by him spotless and blameless, in peace,
15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him,
16as also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, be on guard, so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your own steadfastness;
18but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
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