2 Peter Chapter 3
Showing all 18 verses for 2 Peter Chapter 3.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: "
"Dear friends, this is now the second letter I'm writing to you, and in both I'm trying to stir up your honest thinking by reminding you of things you already know."
Growth doesn't always need something new - sometimes it just needs you to be reminded, again, of what you already know but haven't been living out. Don't dismiss a reminder as unnecessary just because it isn't new information.
"That 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: "
"So that you'll keep in mind what was said long ago by the prophets, and the instruction given by us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour."
Don't throw out older wisdom just because it's old, and don't dismiss newer understanding just because it's recent - real truth builds continuously, generation on generation. Hold both together rather than picking one against the other.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, "
"Understand this above all: mockers will come in the last days, living according to their own desires."
When someone mocks the idea of ever being answerable for how they live, ask what they'd rather not have to change about themselves - scepticism is sometimes just self-interest in disguise. I'm not asking you to distrust honest doubt, only to notice when "doubt" conveniently excuses bad behaviour.
"And 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. "
"They'll say, "Where is this promised coming? Ever since our ancestors died, everything has carried on exactly as it always has, since the world began.""
Just because something hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it never will - the absence of change so far isn't proof against change to come. Don't mistake "not yet" for "never"; patience isn't the same as disproof.
"For 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: "
"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."
Be honest with yourself about the evidence you're conveniently forgetting when it doesn't suit the story you want to believe. Real conviction can survive an honest look at everything, not just the parts that confirm what you already think.
"Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: © root-to-fruit.co.uk "
"And by that same water, the world of that time was flooded and destroyed."
Don't assume that because things have been stable for a while, they always will be - real change has happened before, and it can happen again. Stay grounded, but don't let comfort convince you nothing will ever shift.
"But 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. "
"But the present heavens and earth are being kept, by that same word, reserved for fire on the day of judgement and the destruction of those who reject what's right."
The world you're living in now isn't the final, unchangeable state of things - what you do with your time here still matters, because it's heading somewhere. Live like today counts, because it does.
"But, 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. "
"But friends, don't overlook this one thing: to the Lord, a single day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a single day."
What feels like forever to you might just be a normal, unhurried pace from a bigger perspective than you can see - impatience often comes from a narrow view of time, not from anything actually being wrong. Trust the process even when the timeline feels too slow for comfort.
"The 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 Lord isn't being slow to keep his promise, even though some people see it that way - he's being patient with everyone, not wanting anyone to be lost, but wanting everyone to have the chance to turn their life around."
I'm not slow because I've forgotten or don't care - I'm patient because I want everyone to have every real chance to turn things around before it's too late. Take that patience as an invitation, not permission to keep putting things off forever.
"But 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. © root-to-fruit.co.uk "
"But the day of the Lord will arrive unexpectedly, like a thief in the night - the heavens will disappear with a roar, everything will melt in intense heat, and the earth and everything on it will be burned up."
Don't mistake patience for a guarantee that you'll always have more time - live today as though it genuinely matters, because you don't get advance warning for the moments that count most. That urgency isn't meant to scare you; it's meant to focus you.
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy and godliness, "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Given that all these things will eventually be undone, what kind of people should you be, living lives marked by integrity and genuine devotion to what's good?"
Knowing that nothing material lasts forever should change how you spend your time now - not with anxiety, but with clearer priorities about what actually matters. Let the bigger picture simplify your choices, not complicate them.
"Looking 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? "
"Looking forward to and actively anticipating the coming day of God, when the heavens will be consumed by fire and everything will melt in intense heat."
You don't have to fear what's coming if you're already living in a way that welcomes it - anticipation replaces dread once you've got nothing you're desperately trying to hold onto. Live light-handed with what's temporary, and the future stops feeling like a threat.
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. "
"But we, trusting his promise, are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth - a place where what's right and good truly lives."
Whatever falls apart in life isn't necessarily the end of the story - sometimes it clears the way for something genuinely better to be built in its place. Hold onto hope for renewal, even when what's happening in front of you looks like loss.
"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. © root-to-fruit.co.uk "
"So, friends, since you're looking forward to this, make every effort to be found living at peace, without moral stain, and blameless."
Hope for something better isn't an excuse to coast now - it's a reason to put in the effort to live at peace and with integrity today. What you're waiting for and how you live while waiting are meant to match.
"And 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; "
"And understand that the Lord's patience is actually giving people the chance to be saved - just as our dear brother Paul, with the wisdom he was given, has also written to you about this."
Even people who've disagreed before can still recognise real wisdom in each other and speak well of one another - generosity towards those working towards the same good is worth more than protecting your own turf. I want you building each other up, not competing over whose voice matters more.
"As 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. "
"This is true in all his letters, where he talks about these same things - some parts are hard to understand, and untrained, unstable people twist them, just as they do with the rest of scripture, to their own harm."
It's fine to find some things genuinely hard to understand - the danger isn't in struggling with difficult ideas, it's in twisting them carelessly to suit yourself instead of doing the patient work of understanding. Stay humble in front of what you don't yet grasp.
"Ye 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. "
"So, friends, since you already know all this in advance, be careful that you aren't carried away by the mistaken thinking of the wicked and lose your own firm footing."
Now that you know what to watch for, use that awareness to stay steady rather than getting swept along by confident-sounding people who don't actually have your good in mind. Forewarned really is forearmed - let what you've learned here actually protect you.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. "
"Instead, keep growing in grace and in your understanding of Jesus. All glory belongs to him, now and always. Amen."
Keep growing - not out of fear of falling short, but because there's always more good, more understanding, more grace available to you than you've yet taken hold of. That growth never has to stop, and neither does my welcome of you while you're doing it.