Christ's Coming Judgment
(Genesis 3:1-7; Genesis 7:1-5; Romans 5:12-21)
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.
The Day of the Lord
(Zephaniah 1:7-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
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.
Final Exhortations
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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Coming Judgment
(Genesis 7:1–24; Jude 1:17–23)
1 This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you; 2 that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:
3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God; 6 by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. 7 But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
The Day of the Lord
(Zephaniah 1:7–18; Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)
8 But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But 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 be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, 12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Final Exhortations
14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without blemish and blameless in his sight. 15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
The Coming Judgment
(Genesis 7:1–24; Jude 1:17–23)
1 Beloved, this is now my second letter to you. Both of them are reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking 2 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. a 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.”
5 But 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, 6 through which b the world of that time perished in the flood. 7 And 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.
The Day of the Lord
(Zephaniah 1:7–18; Malachi 4:1–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)
8 Beloved, 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. c 9 The 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.
10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed d by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. e
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness 12 as 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. 13 But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Final Exhortations
14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight. f
15 Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him. 16 He writes this way in all his letters, g speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, h as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, 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. 18 But 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. i
Footnotes:
3 a See Jude 1:18.
6 b NA through whom
8 c See Psalm 90:4.
10 d Or dissolved ; also in verses 11 and 12.
10 e Or will not be found . BYZ and TR will be burned up ; SBL, NE, and WH will be found , i.e., will be unable to hide .
14 f Or to be found by Him in peace, without spot and without blemish.
16 g Or in all the letters
16 h NA will distort
18 i NE, WH, and NA do not include Amen.
Christ's Coming Judgment
(Genesis 3:1-7; Genesis 7:1-5; Romans 5:12-21)
1This, now, beloved, a second letter to you I write, in both which I stir up your pure mind in reminding you, 2to be mindful of the sayings said before by the holy prophets, and of the command of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour,
3this first knowing, that there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers, according to their own desires going on, 4and saying, 'Where is the promise of his presence? for since the fathers did fall asleep, all things so remain from the beginning of the creation;' 5for this is unobserved by them willingly, that the heavens were of old, and the earth out of water and through water standing together by the word of God, 6through which the then world, by water having been deluged, was destroyed; 7and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men.
8And this one thing let not be unobserved by you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; 9the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,
The Day of the Lord
(Zephaniah 1:7-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
10and it will come -- the day of the Lord -- as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away, and the elements with burning heat be dissolved, and earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.
11All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts? 12waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt; 13and for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise we do wait, in which righteousness doth dwell;
Final Exhortations
14wherefore, beloved, these things waiting for, be diligent, spotless and unblameable, by Him to be found in peace, 15and the long-suffering of our Lord count ye salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul -- according to the wisdom given to him -- did write to you, 16as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, among which things are certain hard to be understood, which the untaught and unstable do wrest, as also the other Writings, unto their own destruction. 17Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness, 18and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him is the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.
The Favor of God Paraphrase
The Day of the Lord Will Come
¹ My beloved friends, this is now my second letter to you. In both of them, I’ve been trying to stir up your sincere minds with a reminder—
² that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior Jesus through your apostles.
³ First of all, understand that in the last days, scoffers will come, mocking and following their own evil desires.
⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
⁵ But 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.
⁶ By these waters also, the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
⁷ By the same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly.
God’s Timing is Different from Ours
⁸ 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.
⁹ The 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.
¹⁰ But 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.
Live Holy and Godly Lives
¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
¹² as 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.
¹³ But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Be Diligent, Without Spot or Blame
¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Him.
¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him.
¹⁶ He 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.
Be on Guard, and Grow in Grace
¹⁷ Therefore, 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.
¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Footnotes:
1.“Scoffers” (Greek: ἐμπαῖκται, empaíktai): Refers to mockers who belittle the promises of God, questioning their fulfillment due to impatience or disbelief.
2.“By God’s word” (Greek: λόγος, lógos): The creative power of God’s command, which brought the world into existence.
3.“Reserved for fire” (Greek: τεθησαυρισμένοι, tethēsaurisménoi): A term indicating that the present world is being preserved or stored up for a future purification by fire, symbolizing judgment and renewal.
4.“A thousand years”: A metaphor expressing that God’s sense of time is vastly different from our human understanding, emphasizing His patience and perfect timing.
5.“The day of the Lord will come like a thief”: This phrase captures the unexpectedness and suddenness of the return of Christ and the accompanying judgment.
6.“Speed its coming” (Greek: σπεύδοντας, speúdontas): Suggests that our prayers, holy living, and evangelism play a role in hastening the arrival of God’s final plan.
7.“Paul’s letters”: Refers to the Apostle Paul’s epistles, acknowledging their divinely inspired wisdom, yet recognizing that some parts can be difficult for readers to grasp fully.
