1This second epistle, beloved, I now write
unto you; in both which
I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2That ye may be mindful of the words which
were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the
commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and
Saviour:
3Knowing this first, that there shall come in
the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts,
4And saying, Where is the promise of his
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation.
5For this they willingly are ignorant of,
that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
6Whereby the world that then was, being
overflowed with water, perished:
7But the heavens and the earth, which are
now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition
of ungodly men.
8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years
as one day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall
pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up.
11Seeing then that all
these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness,
12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of
the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?
13Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness.
14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for
such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him
in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15And account that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
even as our beloved brother Paul also according to
the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood, which they that are
unlearned and unstable wrest, as they
do also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction.
17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these
things before, beware lest ye also, being led
away with the error of the wicked, fall from your
own stedfastness.
18But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To
him be glory
both now and for ever. Amen.