^aBeloved, I am now writing you this second letter. In this as in the first one, I am ^bstirring up your untainted mind to remind you, 2 that you should ^aremember the words spoken in the past about the future by ^bthe holy prophets and ^cthe commandment of the Lord and Savior given by your apostles His personally chosen representatives.

3 ^aFirst of all, know without any doubt that ^bmockers will come ^cin the last days with their mocking, ^dfollowing after their own human desires 4 and saying, “^aWhere is the promise of His ^bcoming what has become of it? For ever since the fathers ^cfell asleep in death, all things have continued exactly as they did ^dfrom the beginning of creation.” 5 For they willingly forget the fact that the heavens existed long ago ^aby the word of God, and the earth was ^bformed ¹out of water and by water, 6 through which ^athe world at that time was ^bdestroyed by being flooded with water. Gen 1:6-8; 7:11 7 But by His word ^athe present heavens and earth are being reserved for ^bfire, being kept for ^cthe day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.

8 Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, ^abeloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and ^ba thousand years is like one day. Ps 90:4 9 ^aThe Lord does not delay as though He were unable to act and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but ^bis extraordinarily patient toward you, ^cnot wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

10 But ^athe day of the Lord ^bwill come like a thief, and then ^cthe heavens ^dwill vanish with a mighty and thunderous roar, and the material ^eelements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^fthe earth and the works that are on it will be ¹burned up.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be in the meantime in holy behavior that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer and in godliness displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God, 12 while you earnestly ^alook for and await the coming of the day of God. For on this day ^bthe heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the material ^celements will melt with intense heat! Is 34:4 13 But in accordance with His ^apromise we expectantly await ^bnew heavens and a new earth, ^cin which righteousness dwells. Is 65:17; 66:22

14 ^aSo, ^bbeloved, since you are looking forward to these things, be diligent and make every effort to be ^cfound by Him at His return ^dspotless and blameless, in peace that is, inwardly calm with a sense of spiritual well-being and confidence, having lived a life of obedience to Him. 15 And consider the ^apatience of our Lord His delay in judging and avenging wrongs as salvation that is, allowing time for more to be saved; just as ^bour beloved brother Paul also wrote to you ^caccording to the wisdom given to him by God, 16 speaking about ^athese things as he does in all of his letters. ^bIn which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and ^cunstable who have fallen into error twist and misinterpret, just as they do ^dthe rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, let me warn you ^abeloved, knowing these things beforehand, ^bbe on your guard so that you are not carried away by ^cthe error of ^1dunprincipled men who distort doctrine and ^efall from your own steadfastness of mind, knowledge, truth, and faith, 18 but grow spiritually mature in the grace and ^aknowledge of our ^bLord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^cTo Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor) , both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.