| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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 | 1Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. |
| 2to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. | 2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. |
| 3First of all you must understand this: In the last days mockers will come and, following their own desires, will ridicule us | 3Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. |
| 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." | 4They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." |
| 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, | 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. |
| 6by which the world at that time was deluged with water and destroyed. | 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. |
| 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. | 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. |
| 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. | 8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. |
| 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. | 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. |
| 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. | 10But 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 everything done in it will be laid bare. |
| 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, think of the kind of holy and godly people you ought to be | 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives |
| 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. | 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. |
| 13But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. | 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. |
| 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. | 14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with 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. | 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. |
| 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. | 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
| 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. | 17Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. |
| 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. | 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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