| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine understanding with a reminder, | 1Dear friends, this is now the second of two letters I am writing to you, in which I have been trying to stimulate your pure minds by reminding you |
| 2so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. | 2to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. |
| 3First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, | 3First of all you must understand this: In the last days mockers will come and, following their own desires, will ridicule us |
| 4saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation." | 4by saying, "What happened to the Messiah's promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of creation." |
| 5They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. | 5But they deliberately ignore the fact that long ago the heavens existed and the earth was formed by God's word out of water and with water, |
| 6Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. | 6by which the world at that time was deluged with water and destroyed. |
| 7But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. | 7Now by that same word, the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire and are being kept for the day when ungodly people will be judged and destroyed. |
| 8Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. | 8Don't forget this fact, dear friends: With the Lord a single day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a single day. |
| 9The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. | 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent. |
| 10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. | 10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will disappear with a roaring sound, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be exposed. |
| 11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness | 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, think of the kind of holy and godly people you ought to be |
| 12as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. | 12as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire. |
| 13But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell. | 13But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. |
| 14Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish. | 14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to have the Lord find you at peace and without spot or fault. |
| 15Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. | 15Think of our Lord's patience as facilitating salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him. |
| 16He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. | 16He speaks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, leading to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures. |
| 17Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. | 17And so, dear friends, since you already know these things, continuously be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of lawless people. Otherwise, you may fall from your secure position. |
| 18But 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. | 18Instead, continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah. Glory belongs to him both now and on that eternal day! Amen. |
|
