¶ This second epistle¹, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir² up your pure³ minds by way⁴ of remembrance:

That ye may⁵ be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of⁶ the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

¶ Knowing this first, that there⁷ shall come in the last days scoffers⁸, walking⁹ after their own lusts,

And saying, Where¹⁰ is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning¹¹ of the creation.

For this they willingly¹² are ignorant of, that by the word¹³ of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing¹⁴ out of the water and in the water:

¹⁵Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

But the heavens¹⁶ and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against¹⁷ the day of judgment and perdition¹⁸ of ungodly men.

¶ But, beloved, be not¹⁹ ignorant of this one thing, that one²⁰ day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

¶ The Lord is not²¹ slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is²² longsuffering to us-ward, not willing²³ that any should perish, but that²⁴ all should come to repentance.

¶ But the day²⁵ of the Lord will come as a²⁶ thief in the night; in the which²⁷ the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements²⁸ shall melt²⁹ with fervent heat, the earth³⁰ also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

¶ Seeing then that all these³¹ things shall be dissolved, what³² manner of persons ought ye to be in all³³ holy conversation and godliness³⁴,

Looking³⁵ for and hasting unto the coming³⁶ of the day of God, wherein the heavens³⁷ being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt³⁸ with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according³⁹ to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing⁴⁰ that ye look for such things, be diligent⁴¹ that ye may be found of him in peace⁴², without spot, and blameless.

And account⁴³ that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved⁴⁴ brother Paul also according⁴⁵ to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

As also in all⁴⁶ his epistles, speaking⁴⁷ in them of these things; in which are some things hard⁴⁸ to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable⁴⁹ wrest⁵⁰, as they do also the other⁵¹ scriptures, unto their own⁵² destruction.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing⁵³ ye know these things before, beware⁵⁴ lest ye also, being⁵⁵ led away with the error of the wicked, fall from⁵⁶ your own stedfastness.

But grow⁵⁷ in grace, and in the knowledge⁵⁸ of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him⁵⁹ be glory both now and for ever. Amen⁶⁰.