| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), | 1Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking |
| 2that you 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 Savior, | 2by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. |
| 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, | 3Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. |
| 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 creation.” | 4“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.” |
| 5For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, | 5But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, |
| 6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. | 6through which the world of that time perished in the flood. |
| 7But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. | 7And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. |
| 8But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. | 8Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. |
| 9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. | 9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. |
| 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. | 10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. |
| 11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, | 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness |
| 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? | 12as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. |
| 13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. | 13But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. |
| 14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; | 14Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight. |
| 15and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, | 15Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him. |
| 16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. | 16He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
| 17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; | 17Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing. |
| 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. | 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. |
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