¹² Therefore, ^(A)I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in ^(B)the truth which is present with you. ¹³ I consider it ^(C)right, as long as I am in ^(D)this earthly ^[a]dwelling, to ^(E)stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(F)the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, ^(G)as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will also be diligent that at any time after my ^(H)departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Eyewitnesses

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised ^(I)tales when we made known to you the ^(J)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were ^(K)eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷ For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a ^(L)[b]declaration as this was made to Him by the ^(M)Majestic Glory: “This is ^[c]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— ¹⁸ and we ourselves heard this ^[d]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the ^(N)holy mountain.

¹⁹ And so we have ^(O)the prophetic word made more ^(P)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to ^(Q)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the ^(R)day dawns and the ^(S)morning star arises ^(T)in your hearts. ²⁰ But ^(U)know this first of all, that ^(V)no prophecy of Scripture ^[e]becomes a matter of ^[f]someone’s own interpretation, ²¹ for ^(W)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men ^(X)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Purpose of This Letter

3 ^(A)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am ^(B)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, ² to ^(C)remember the words spoken beforehand by ^(D)the holy prophets and ^(E)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

^3 (F)Know this first of all, that ^(G)in the last days ^(H)mockers will come with their mocking, ^(I)following after their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “^(J)Where is the promise of His ^(K)coming? For ever since the fathers ^[a](L)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were ^(M)from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ For ^[b]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that ^(N)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was ^(O)formed out of water and by water, ⁶ through which ^(P)the world at that time was ^(Q)destroyed by being flooded with water. ⁷ But by His word ^(R)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for ^(S)fire, kept for ^(T)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, ^(U)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and ^(V)a thousand years like one day. ^9 (W)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but ^(X)is patient toward you, ^(Y)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

¹⁰ But ^(Z)the day of the Lord ^(AA)will come like a thief, in which ^(AB)the heavens ^(AC)will pass away with a roar and the ^(AD)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and ^(AE)the earth and ^[c]its works will be ^[d]discovered.

¹¹ Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ^12 (AF)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which ^(AG)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the ^(AH)elements will melt with intense heat! ¹³ But according to His ^(AI)promise we are looking for ^(AJ)new heavens and a new earth, ^(AK)in which righteousness dwells.

^14 (AL)Therefore, ^(AM)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be ^(AN)found ^(AO)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, ¹⁵ and regard the ^(AP)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also ^(AQ)our beloved brother Paul, ^(AR)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of ^(AS)these things, ^(AT)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and ^(AU)unstable distort, as they do also ^(AV)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You therefore, ^(AW)beloved, knowing this beforehand, ^(AX)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by ^(AY)the error of ^[e](AZ)unscrupulous people and ^(BA)lose your own ^[f]firm commitment, ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and ^(BB)knowledge of our ^(BC)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ^(BD)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.