CHAPTER 3
1 Lo! ye most dearworthy brethren, I write to you this second epistle, in which I stir your clear soul by admonishing together,
2 that ye be mindful of those words (or so that ye remember those words), that I before-said of the holy prophets, and of the commandments of the holy apostles of the Lord and Saviour.
3 First know ye this thing, that in the last days deceivers [or scorners] shall come in deceit, (or with guile, and treachery), going after their own covetings,
4 saying, Where is the promise, or the coming of him? for since the fathers died [or slept], all things last from the beginning of creature (or everything is as it was from the beginning of Creation).
5 But it is hid from them willing this thing (or But it is hidden from those, or unknown to those, desiring this), that (the) heavens were before, and the earth of water was standing by (the) water, by God’s word; [Soothly it is hid from them willing this thing, that (the) heavens were first, and the earth of water and by water being, or standing, together by God’s word;]
6 by which that same world (was) cleansed, then by water perished.
7 But the heavens that now be, and the earth, be kept by the same word, and be reserved to fire into the day of doom (or and be reserved for the fire unto the Day of Judgement), and (the) perdition of wicked men.
8 But, ye most dear (ones), this one thing be not hid to you, [or be not unknown], (or let not this be hidden from you, or be unknown to you), that one day with God is as a thousand years, and a thousand years be as one day.
9 The Lord tarrieth not his promise, as some [men] guess, but he doeth patiently for you, and will not that any man perish [or not willing any to perish], but that all turn again to penance. (The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some think, but he patiently waiteth for you, and desireth not that anyone perish, but that all turn, or come to repentance.)
10 For the day of the Lord shall come as a thief, in which (the) heavens with great rush, [or fierceness], shall pass (away), and (the) elements shall be dissolved by heat, and the earth, and all the works that be in it, shall be burnt (up).
11 Therefore when all these things shall be dissolved, what manner men behooveth it you to be in holy livings and piety,
12 abiding and hieing into the coming of the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (the) heavens burning shall be dissolved, and (the) elements shall fail by (the) burning [or (from the) heat] of (the) fire.
13 Also we abide by his promises new heavens and (a) new earth, in which rightwiseness dwelleth.
14 For which thing, ye most dear (ones), abiding these things, be ye busy to be found to him in peace, unspotted and undefouled. (For which thing, ye most dear ones, awaiting these things, do your best to be found at peace with him, without fault or blemish, and undefiled.)
15 And deem ye (that the) long abiding of our Lord Jesus Christ (is) your health (or And understand well that the patience that our Lord Jesus Christ hath with us is our salvation), as also our most dear brother Paul wrote to you, by wisdom given to him.
16 As and in all his epistles he speaketh in them of these things; in which be some hard things to understand, which unwise [or untaught] and unstable men deprave, as also they do other scriptures, to their own perdition.
17 Therefore ye, brethren, before-witting keep yourselves, lest ye be deceived [or be over-led] by (the) error of unwise men, and fall away from your own firmness.
18 But wax ye (or grow) in the grace and the knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Saviour; to him be glory now and into the day of everlastingness. Amen.