Chapter 3
The Coming Judgment
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Beloved, this [is] now [my] second letter… to you. [Both] of [them] vvv [are] reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking
ἀγαπητοί Ταύτην ἤδη δευτέραν ἐπιστολήν γράφω ὑμῖν ἐν αἷς ἐν ὑπομνήσει διεγείρω ὑμῶν εἰλικρινῆ τὴν διάνοιαν agapētoi Tautēn ēdē deuteran epistolēn graphō hymin en hais en hypomnēsei diegeirō hymōn eilikrinē tēn dianoian — NA/TR · 1
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by recalling what vvv was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by [our] Lord and Savior through your apostles.
μνησθῆναι τῶν ῥημάτων προειρημένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν καὶ τῆς ἐντολῆς τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ὑμῶν ἀποστόλων mnēsthēnai tōn rhēmatōn proeirēmenōn hypo tōn hagiōn prophētōn kai tēs entolēs tōn tou Kyriou kai Sōtēros hymōn apostolōn — NA/TR · 2
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Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, vvv scoffing [and] following their own evil desires.
πρῶτον γινώσκοντες τοῦτο ὅτι ἐπ’ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἡμερῶν ἐμπαῖκται ἐλεύσονται ἐν ἐμπαιγμονῇ πορευόμενοι κατὰ αὐτῶν ἰδίας τὰς ἐπιθυμίας prōton ginōskontes touto hoti ep’ tōn eschatōn hēmerōn empaiktai eleusontai en empaigmonē poreuomenoi kata autōn idias tas epithymias — NA/TR · 3
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“Where is the promise of His coming? they will ask. “vvv Ever since [our] fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from [the] beginning of creation.
Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας καὶ λέγοντες γὰρ ἀφ’ ἧς οἱ πατέρες ἐκοιμήθησαν πάντα διαμένει οὕτως ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως Pou estin hē epangelia tēs autou parousias kai legontes gar aph’ hēs hoi pateres ekoimēthēsan panta diamenei houtōs ap’ archēs ktiseōs — NA/TR · 4
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[But] 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,
γὰρ αὐτοὺς θέλοντας Λανθάνει τοῦτο ὅτι ἔκπαλαι τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγῳ οὐρανοὶ ἦσαν καὶ γῆ συνεστῶσα ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ δι’ ὕδατος gar autous thelontas Lanthanei touto hoti ekpalai tō tou Theou logō ouranoi ēsan kai gē synestōsa ex hydatos kai di’ hydatos — NA/TR · 5
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through which the world of that time perished in the flood…
δι’ ὧν ὁ κόσμος τότε ἀπώλετο κατακλυσθεὶς ὕδατι di’ hōn ho kosmos tote apōleto kataklystheis hydati — NA/TR · 6
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And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for [the] day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
δὲ τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ οἱ νῦν οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἡ γῆ εἰσὶν τεθησαυρισμένοι πυρὶ τηρούμενοι εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως καὶ ἀπωλείας ἀσεβῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων de tō autō logō hoi nyn ouranoi kai hē gē eisin tethēsaurismenoi pyri tēroumenoi eis hēmeran kriseōs kai apōleias asebōn tōn anthrōpōn — NA/TR · 7
The Day of the Lord
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- Beloved -, {do} not {let} [this] one thing escape your notice…: With [the] Lord a day [is] like a thousand years, and a thousand years [are] like a day.
δὲ ἀγαπητοί ὅτι μὴ Ἓν τοῦτο λανθανέτω ὑμᾶς παρὰ Κυρίῳ μία ἡμέρα ὡς χίλια ἔτη καὶ χίλια ἔτη ὡς μία ἡμέρα de agapētoi hoti mē Hen touto lanthanetō hymas para Kyriō mia hēmera hōs chilia etē kai chilia etē hōs mia hēmera — NA/TR · 8
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The Lord vvv is not slow [in keeping] [His] promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
Κύριος οὐ βραδύνει τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὥς τινες ἡγοῦνται βραδύτητα ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας χωρῆσαι εἰς μετάνοιαν Kyrios ou bradynei tēs epangelias hōs tines hēgountai bradytēta alla makrothymei eis hymas mē boulomenos tinas apolesthai alla pantas chōrēsai eis metanoian — NA/TR · 9
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But [the] Day of [the] Lord will come like a thief. - The heavens will disappear with a roar, [the] elements will be destroyed by fire, and [the] earth and [its] works vvv will be laid bare.
δὲ ἡμέρα Κυρίου Ἥξει ὡς κλέπτης ἐν ᾗ οἱ οὐρανοὶ παρελεύσονται ῥοιζηδὸν δὲ στοιχεῖα λυθήσεται καυσούμενα καὶ γῆ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὰ ἔργα οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται de hēmera Kyriou Hēxei hōs kleptēs en hē hoi ouranoi pareleusontai rhoizēdon de stoicheia lythēsetai kausoumena kai gē kai en autē ta erga ouch heurethēsetai — NA/TR · 10
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[Since] everything… will be destroyed in this way, what kind of [people] ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
πάντων Τούτων λυομένων οὕτως ποταποὺς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ὑπάρχειν ἀναστροφαῖς ἐν ἁγίαις καὶ εὐσεβείαις pantōn Toutōn lyomenōn houtōs potapous dei hymas hyparchein anastrophais en hagiais kai eusebeiais — NA/TR · 11
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as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, vvv when [the] heavens will be destroyed by fire and [the] elements will melt in the heat.
προσδοκῶντας καὶ σπεύδοντας τὴν παρουσίαν τῆς ἡμέρας τοῦ Θεοῦ δι’ ἣν οὐρανοὶ λυθήσονται πυρούμενοι καὶ στοιχεῖα τήκεται καυσούμενα prosdokōntas kai speudontas tēn parousian tēs hēmeras tou Theou di’ hēn ouranoi lythēsontai pyroumenoi kai stoicheia tēketai kausoumena — NA/TR · 12
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But in keeping with [God’s] promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, vvv where righteousness dwells.
δὲ κατὰ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἐπάγγελμα προσδοκῶμεν καινοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καινὴν γῆν ἐν οἷς δικαιοσύνη κατοικεῖ de kata autou to epangelma prosdokōmen kainous ouranous kai kainēn gēn en hois dikaiosynē katoikei — NA/TR · 13
Final Exhortations
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Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace— spotless and blameless in His [sight].
Διό ἀγαπητοί προσδοκῶντες ταῦτα σπουδάσατε εὑρεθῆναι ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἄσπιλοι καὶ ἀμώμητοι αὐτῷ Dio agapētoi prosdokōntes tauta spoudasate heurethēnai en eirēnē aspiloi kai amōmētoi autō — NA/TR · 14
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vvv Consider also that our Lord’s patience [brings] salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom [God] gave him…
Καὶ ἡγεῖσθε ἡμῶν τοῦ Κυρίου τὴν μακροθυμίαν σωτηρίαν καθὼς ἡμῶν ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ἔγραψεν ὑμῖν κατὰ τὴν σοφίαν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ Kai hēgeisthe hēmōn tou Kyriou tēn makrothymian sōtērian kathōs hēmōn agapētos adelphos ho Paulos kai egrapsen hymin kata tēn sophian dotheisan autō — NA/TR · 15
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[ He writes ] this way… in all [his] letters, speaking in them about [such matters]. Some [parts] of [his letters] are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable [people] distort, as [they do] the rest of [the] Scriptures, to their own destruction.
ὡς καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς λαλῶν ἐν αὐταῖς περὶ τούτων τινα ἐν αἷς ἐστιν δυσνόητά ἃ οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι στρεβλοῦσιν ὡς καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς γραφὰς πρὸς αὐτῶν ἰδίαν τὴν ἀπώλειαν hōs kai en pasais tais epistolais lalōn en autais peri toutōn tina en hais estin dysnoēta ha hoi amatheis kai astēriktoi streblousin hōs kai tas loipas graphas pros autōn idian tēn apōleian — NA/TR · 16
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Therefore, beloved, [since] you already know [these things], be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless [and] fall from [your] secure standing.
οὖν ἀγαπητοί Ὑμεῖς προγινώσκοντες φυλάσσεσθε ἵνα μὴ συναπαχθέντες τῇ πλάνῃ τῶν ἀθέσμων ἐκπέσητε τοῦ ἰδίου στηριγμοῦ oun agapētoi Hymeis proginōskontes phylassesthe hina mē synapachthentes tē planē tōn athesmōn ekpesēte tou idiou stērigmou — NA/TR · 17
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But grow in [the] grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and to [the] day of eternity. Amen.
δὲ αὐξάνετε ἐν χάριτι καὶ γνώσει ἡμῶν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος Ἀμήν de auxanete en chariti kai gnōsei hēmōn tou Kyriou kai Sōtēros Iēsou Christou autō hē doxa kai nyn kai eis hēmeran aiōnos Amēn — NA/TR · 18