1 Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you; in both I am stirring up your sincere mind by reminding you,
2 so that you will recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior.
3 Above all, understand this: in the last days scoffers will come, walking according to their own desires,
4 saying, "What has become of the promise of his coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
5 For they deliberately overlook this: that long ago, by the word of God, heavens existed and an earth formed out of water and by means of water,
6 and that by these the world of that time was deluged with water and perished.
7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved: with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward us, not wishing for anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. On it the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, the elements will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
12 as you wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the elements will melt in the heat?
13 But in keeping with his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness is at home.
14 So, beloved, since you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish.
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
17 You, then, beloved, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of lawless men and lose your own firm footing.
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.