This already a second epistle, beloved, I write to you, in both which I stir up your pure mind by putting in remembrance,
that ye be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour [by] your apostles;
knowing this first, that in the last of the days mockers shall come with mockery walking according to their own lusts,
and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for from the [day] that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue thus from beginning of creation.
For this escapeth their notice willingly, that by the word of God heavens were of old, and an earth having its subsistence out of water and through water;
by which [waters] the then world being overflowed with water perished.
But the now heavens and the earth by the same word have been stored with fire, being kept for a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day is with [the] Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
[The] Lord does not delay his promise, as some account of delay, but is longsuffering towards you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of [the] Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens shall pass away with rushing noise, and elements, with fervent heat, shall be dissolved, and [the] earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up.
All these things being thus to be dissolved, of what sort ought ye to be in holy ways and godliness,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which [day] heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and elements in fervent heat shall melt?
But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, use diligence, spotless and blameless to be found by him in peace;
and count the long-suffering of our Lord salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him,
as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which [epistles] some things are hard to understand, which the untaught and unestablished wrest, as also the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction.
Ye therefore, beloved, knowing beforehand, be on your guard lest, led away along with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: to him [be] the glory both now and unto eternity’s day. Amen.