Christ's Coming Judgment

1This, a second letter, beloved, I already write to you, in both which I stir up, in the way of putting you in remembrance, your pure mind, 2to be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles;

3knowing this first, that there shall come at the close of the days mockers with mocking, walking according to their own lusts, 4and 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. 5For this is hidden from them through their own wilfulness, that heavens were of old, and an earth, having its subsistence out of water and in water, by the word of God, 6through which waters the then world, deluged with water, perished. 7But the present heavens and the earth by his word are laid up in store, kept for fire unto a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord does not delay his promise, as some account of delay, but is longsuffering towards you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord

10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements, burning with heat, shall be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.

11All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements, burning with heat, shall melt? 13But, according to his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.

Final Exhortations

14Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15and account the longsuffering of our Lord to be salvation; according as our beloved brother Paul also has written to you according to the wisdom given to him, 16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; among which some things are hard to be understood, which the untaught and ill-established wrest, as also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. 17Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things before, take care lest, being led away along with the error of the wicked, ye should 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 to the day of eternity. Amen.