Wherefore, all the more, brethren, give diligence to be making, firm, your calling and election; for, these things, doing, in nowise shall ye stumble at any time,

since I know that the time for me to strike tent comes swiftly on, even as our Lord Jesus Christ pointed out to me.

Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.

For not, by will of man, was prophecy brought in, at any time, but, as, by Holy Spirit, they were borne along, spake, men, from God.

And in their desire for profit they will come to you with words of deceit, like traders doing business in souls: whose punishment has been ready for a long time and their destruction is watching for them.

and turning into ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemned them to overthrow, making them an example for those who in after time should live ungodly;

The Lord is able to keep the upright safe in the time of testing, and to keep evil-doers under punishment till the day of judging;

suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you;

and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for from the time the fathers fell asleep all things remain thus from the beginning of the creation.

For they willingly forget this, that the heavens were in the olden time, and the earth standing out of the water and through the water, by the word of God;

by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed [by] being inundated with water.

But do not forget this one thing, my dearly loved ones, that as the Lord [counts time], one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief [i.e., unexpectedly]. At that time the heavens will pass away with a loud noise and the elements [Note: This refers either to the heavenly bodies or to the material components of the universe], will be dissolved with intense heat. And the earth and its works [i.e., its activities] will be burned up. [Note: Some translations render this phrase as it is in some ancient manuscripts, "will be disclosed," or "will be laid bare"].

Therefore, dearly loved ones, since you know about these things ahead of time, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of lawless people, and [thus] fall from your own stability [i.e., your safe or secure position in Christ].