2 Peter 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
The Fact of Christ’s Return
The Day of the Lord Will Come.[a] 1 Beloved, this is now the second letter I have written to you. In both of them I have tried to stir up your memories for a clear understanding 2 so that you might remember the words spoken in the past by the holy Prophets and by the apostles at the command of our Lord and Savior.
3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will appear who have led lives of indulgence. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ that was promised? Ever since our ancestors[b] died, everything has remained just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
5 [c]These people deliberately ignore the fact that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and that the earth stands out of water and in water. 6 Furthermore, by these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word, the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and the destruction of sinners.
8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved: with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay in keeping his promise, as some think in terms of delay, but he is patient with you. It is not his wish that any should perish but rather that all should be brought to repentance.
10 However, the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a mighty roar,[d] and the elements will be dissolved in flames, and the earth and all that it contains will be disclosed.
11 Wait for and Speed the Day of God.[e] Since everything is to be destroyed in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be, living holy and saintly lives. 12 Wait for and speed the coming of the Day of God,[f] on which the heavens will be set ablaze and all the elements will melt because of the intense heat. 13 We eagerly await the promised new heavens and a new earth[g] in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, in expectation of all this, do everything possible to lead blameless lives that are above reproach so that he will find you at peace. 15 Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved;[h] our beloved brother Paul told you this when he wrote to you with the wisdom that was given to him, 16 speaking of it[i] in all his letters. In them, there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and the unstable distort in the same way that they distort the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Conclusion
17 Guard against Error and Grow in Grace. Therefore, beloved, you have been forewarned about this. Take care that you are not led astray by the errors of unprincipled people and thus lose your secure position. 18 Rather, grow in the grace and the knowledge[j] of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Doxology. To him be glory both now and for all eternity. Amen.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 3:1 We know the spectacle of an immutable universe; the days fly by and the seasons return. Could the fate of the world change someday? Christians of that day are loath to think of it and quick to deny it. To eliminate this uncertainty, the author first of all recalls the teaching of the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ himself about the end of the world. Furthermore, in the Bible there are two or three passages that make us reflect: the manner in which the cosmos rises in the midst of the initial disorder as well as the drowning of everything at the Flood; hence, our world does not have the promises for eternity.
What then is the reason for the long delay? There are two reasons: first, the Lord does not count time as we do; above all, his mercy is immense and he awaits the conversion of everyone. But the announcement of the end remains such as was taught by the Gospels (see Mt 24:43; Lk 12:39-40; 1 Thes 5:2). In the face of the unforeseeable character of history and the unforeseeable plan of God, there is the temptation to take refuge in the name of the perpetuity of the cosmos. - 2 Peter 3:4 Our ancestors: the faithful of the first Christian generation.
- 2 Peter 3:5 God created the world by his word, and that word will be just as active in the final conflagration.
- 2 Peter 3:10 The Day of the Lord . . . a mighty roar: this “Day” is also mentioned in Acts 2:20, 1 Cor 5:5, and 1 Thes 5:2 and refers to Christ’s Second Coming, repeating the sayings of the Prophets (e.g., Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:7). This coming is certain, but the time is known only to the Father (see Mk 13:32). It will arrive suddenly, unexpectedly, and without warning (see 1 Thes 5:1-3), ushering in the solemn judgment (see Acts 17:31). The heavens will disappear with a mighty roar: this is apocalyptic, figurative language like that of the Books of Daniel and Revelation.
- 2 Peter 3:11 What is it that is delaying the coming of the Messiah? The sins of human beings. This is what many thought among the Jewish circles, and our author shared that conviction. He wishes above all to encourage Christians to stand fast and make progress in the faith. Their eyes are not fixed on a hazy horizon; rather, they live from the promise of an unimaginable renewal of humankind and the world through the Christ who comes.
- 2 Peter 3:12 Day of God: synonymous with “Day of the Lord.” The idea of a final conflagration, found only here in the New Testament, was common in apocalyptic writings and in Greco-Roman thought.
- 2 Peter 3:13 New heavens and a new earth: promised by Isaiah (65:17; 66:22) and confirmed by Revelation (21:1).
- 2 Peter 3:15 Your opportunity to be saved: literally, “salvation.”
- 2 Peter 3:16 Speaking of it: the teaching just set forth in this Letter, which is also found in Paul: God’s saving will (see Rom 2:4; 9:22f; 1 Cor 1:7f); Christ’s return (see 1 Thes 4:16f; 1 Cor 15:23-52); getting ready for the judgment (see Col 1:22f; Eph 1:4-14; 4:30; 5:5-14); God’s just judgment (see Rom 2:5-9); and God’s forbearance as time to repent (see Rom 2:4). Other Scriptures: this comparison of Paul’s Letters with the rest of Scripture indicates that Christian writings are on a par with the Old Testament Books (see 2 Pet 1:21; 2 Tim 3:16).
- 2 Peter 3:18 Grow in . . . knowledge: the author closes by stressing knowledge once more (see note on 2 Pet 1:2). To him be glory: this doxology corresponds to the one in 1 Pet 5:11.
