2 Peter 3:1-13 - The Coming Day Of The Lord

¹ Dear friends, this [is] already the second letter I am writing to you, in [both of] which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, ² to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³ above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires ⁴ and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For {ever since} the fathers fell asleep, all [things] have continued just as they have been from the beginning of creation." ⁵ For [when] they maintain this, it escapes [their] notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God, ⁶ by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed [by] being inundated with water. ⁷ But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

⁸ Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your [notice], that one day with the Lord [is] like a thousand years, and a thousand years [is] like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, [because he] does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed [by] being burned up, and the earth and the deeds [done] on it will be disclosed. ¹¹ [Because] all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of [people] must you be in holy behavior and godliness, ¹² [while] waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed [by] being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt [as they] are consumed by heat! ¹³ But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.