New Living Translation | New International Version |
1This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. | 1Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. |
2I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. | 2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. |
3Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. | 3Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. |
4They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” | 4They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." |
5They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. | 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. |
6Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. | 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. |
7And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. | 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. |
8But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. | 8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. |
9The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. | 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. |
10But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. | 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 everything done in it will be laid bare. |
11Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, | 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives |
12looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. | 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. |
13But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. | 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. |
14And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. | 14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. |
15And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— | 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. |
16speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. Peter’s Final Words | 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
17You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. | 17Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. |
18Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. | 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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