| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), | 1Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written you, in which I am trying to stir up your pure mind by way of reminder: |
| 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, | 2I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. |
| 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, | 3Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges |
| 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.” | 4and saying, "Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were 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, | 5For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water. |
| 6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. | 6Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water. |
| 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. | 7But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. |
| 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. | 8Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single 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 concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all 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; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it 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 all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives 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? | 12while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! |
| 13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. | 13But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. |
| 14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; | 14Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence. |
| 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, | 15And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to 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. | 16speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. |
| 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, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth. |
| 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 honor both now and on that eternal day. |
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