1This second letter I am now writing to you, beloved, in which I stir up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2to remember the spoken words beforehand by the holy prophets and the command of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,
3This first know that in the last days scoffers will come, walking according to their own desires, mocking.
4And saying, Where is the promise of his presence? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.
5For this they deliberately overlook, that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
6By which the world at that time was destroyed by water through the flood.
7But the present heavens and earth are being stored up by the same word, kept for fire on the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
8But do not let this escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
9The Lord is not slow about the promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and the works in it will be found.
11Since all these things are being dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12Looking forward to and hastening the coming of the day of God, by which the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.
13But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promise, in which righteousness dwells.
14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found by him without blemish and blameless in peace,
15And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him,
16As also in all the letters, speaking about these things, in which there are some difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17Therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and fall from your own steadfastness,
18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory now and to the day of the age. Amen.