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2 Peter 1-3
New American Standard Bible

Growth in Christian Virtue

1 [a]Simon Peter, a (A)bond-servant and (B)apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received (C)a faith of the same [b]kind as ours, [c]by (D)the righteousness of (E)our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 (F)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in (G)the knowledge of God and of Jesus [d]our Lord, 3 for His (H)divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true (I)knowledge of Him who (J)called us [e]by His own glory and [f]excellence. 4 Through [g]these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent (K)promises, so that by them you may become (L)partakers of the divine nature, having (M)escaped the (N)corruption that is in (O)the world on account of lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith (P)supply (Q)moral [h]excellence, and in your moral excellence, (R)knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, (S)self-control, and in your self-control, (T)perseverance, and in your perseverance, (U)godliness, 7 and in your godliness, (V)brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor (W)unproductive in the true (X)knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one who lacks these qualities is (Y)blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his (Z)purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His (AA)calling and (AB)choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never (AC)stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into (AD)the eternal kingdom of our (AE)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be (AF)abundantly (AG)supplied to you.

12 Therefore, (AH)I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in (AI)the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it (AJ)right, as long as I am in (AK)this earthly [i]dwelling, to (AL)stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that (AM)the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, (AN)as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my (AO)departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Eyewitnesses

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised (AP)tales when we made known to you the (AQ)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were (AR)eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a (AS)[j]declaration as this was made to Him by the (AT)Majestic Glory: “This is [k]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this [l]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the (AU)holy mountain.

19 And so we have (AV)the prophetic word made more (AW)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to (AX)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (AY)day dawns and the (AZ)morning star arises (BA)in your hearts. 20 But (BB)know this first of all, that (BC)no prophecy of Scripture [m]becomes a matter of [n]someone’s own interpretation, 21 for (BD)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men (BE)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The Appearance of False Prophets

2 But (BF)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be (BG)false teachers (BH)among you, who will (BI)secretly introduce (BJ)destructive heresies, even (BK)denying the (BL)Master who (BM)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their (BN)indecent behavior, and because of them (BO)the way of the truth will be (BP)maligned; 3 and in their (BQ)greed they will (BR)exploit you with (BS)false words; (BT)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

4 For (BU)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into [o]hell and (BV)committed them to [p]pits of darkness, held for judgment; 5 and did not spare (BW)the ancient world, but protected (BX)Noah, a [q]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a (BY)flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He (BZ)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an (CA)example [r]of what is coming for the (CB)ungodly; 7 and if He (CC)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the (CD)perverted conduct of [s](CE)unscrupulous people 8 (for by what he saw and heard that (CF)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 (CG)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from [t]a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the (CH)day of judgment, 10 and especially those who [u](CI)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and (CJ)despise [v]authority.

[w]Reckless, (CK)self-centered, they (CL)speak abusively of angelic [x]majesties without trembling, 11 (CM)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But (CN)these, like unreasoning animals, (CO)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in [y]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as (CP)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to (CQ)revel in the (CR)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, (CS)reveling in their [z]deceptions as they (CT)feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery [aa]that never cease from sin, (CU)enticing (CV)unstable souls, having hearts trained in (CW)greed, (CX)accursed children; 15 abandoning (CY)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed (CZ)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved (DA)the [ab]reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, (DB)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

17 These are (DC)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, (DD)for whom the [ac]black darkness has been reserved. 18 For, while speaking out (DE)arrogant words of no (DF)value they (DG)entice by fleshly desires, by (DH)indecent behavior, those who barely (DI)escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for (DJ)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have (DK)escaped the defilements of the world by (DL)the knowledge of the (DM)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again (DN)entangled in them and are overcome, (DO)the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 (DP)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from (DQ)the holy commandment (DR)handed on to them. 22 [ad]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “(DS)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Purpose of This Letter

3 (DT)Beloved, this is now the second letter I am writing to you in which I am (DU)stirring up your sincere mind by way of a reminder, 2 to (DV)remember the words spoken beforehand by (DW)the holy prophets and (DX)the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

3 (DY)Know this first of all, that (DZ)in the last days (EA)mockers will come with their mocking, (EB)following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “(EC)Where is the promise of His (ED)coming? For ever since the fathers [ae](EE)fell asleep, all things continue just as they were (EF)from the beginning of creation.” 5 For [af]when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that (EG)by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was (EH)formed out of water and by water, 6 through which (EI)the world at that time was (EJ)destroyed by being flooded with water. 7 But by His word (EK)the present heavens and earth are being reserved for (EL)fire, kept for (EM)the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, (EN)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and (EO)a thousand years like one day. 9 (EP)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but (EQ)is patient toward you, (ER)not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

10 But (ES)the day of the Lord (ET)will come like a thief, in which (EU)the heavens (EV)will pass away with a roar and the (EW)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and (EX)the earth and [ag]its works will be [ah]discovered.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (EY)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which (EZ)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the (FA)elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His (FB)promise we are looking for (FC)new heavens and a new earth, (FD)in which righteousness dwells.

14 (FE)Therefore, (FF)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be (FG)found (FH)spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15 and regard the (FI)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also (FJ)our beloved brother Paul, (FK)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of (FL)these things, (FM)in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and (FN)unstable distort, as they do also (FO)the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, (FP)beloved, knowing this beforehand, (FQ)be on your guard so that you are not carried away by (FR)the error of [ai](FS)unscrupulous people and (FT)lose your own [aj]firm commitment, 18 but grow in the grace and (FU)knowledge of our (FV)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (FW)To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 1:1 One early ms Simeon
  2. 2 Peter 1:1 Or value
  3. 2 Peter 1:1 Or in
  4. 2 Peter 1:2 Or our Lord. Since His...excellence, through these (vv 3-4)
  5. 2 Peter 1:3 Or to
  6. 2 Peter 1:3 Or virtue
  7. 2 Peter 1:4 Lit which
  8. 2 Peter 1:5 Or virtue
  9. 2 Peter 1:13 I.e., human body
  10. 2 Peter 1:17 Lit voice
  11. 2 Peter 1:17 Or My Son, My beloved, with
  12. 2 Peter 1:18 Lit voice
  13. 2 Peter 1:20 Or comes from someone’s
  14. 2 Peter 1:20 Or the prophet’s own
  15. 2 Peter 2:4 Gr Tartarus, a name used as a reference to the netherworld (hell)
  16. 2 Peter 2:4 One early ms chains of darkness
  17. 2 Peter 2:5 Or herald
  18. 2 Peter 2:6 One early ms to those who were going to live ungodly lives
  19. 2 Peter 2:7 Or disgraceful
  20. 2 Peter 2:9 Or temptation; one early ms trials (temptations)
  21. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit go after
  22. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit lordship
  23. 2 Peter 2:10 Or Audacious
  24. 2 Peter 2:10 Lit glories
  25. 2 Peter 2:12 Lit their destruction also
  26. 2 Peter 2:13 One early ms love feasts
  27. 2 Peter 2:14 Lit and unceasing from sin
  28. 2 Peter 2:15 Or wages
  29. 2 Peter 2:17 Lit blackness of darkness
  30. 2 Peter 2:22 Lit The thing of the true proverb has happened to them
  31. 2 Peter 3:4 I.e., died
  32. 2 Peter 3:5 Or they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that
  33. 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
  34. 2 Peter 3:10 I.e., as worthless; late mss burned up
  35. 2 Peter 3:17 Or disgraceful
  36. 2 Peter 3:17 Or firm hold
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2 Peter 1-3
New International Version

1 Simon Peter, a servant(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,(B)

To those who through the righteousness(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

3 His divine power(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him(H) who called us(I) by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.(L)

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;(M) 6 and to knowledge, self-control;(N) and to self-control, perseverance;(O) and to perseverance, godliness;(P) 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.(Q) 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.(S) 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.(U)

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,(W) 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(Y)

Prophecy of Scripture

12 So I will always remind you of these things,(Z) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth(AA) you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory(AB) as long as I live in the tent of this body,(AC) 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside,(AD) as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.(AE) 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure(AF) you will always be able to remember these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,(AG) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.(AH) 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b](AI) 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.(AJ)

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,(AK) and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light(AL) shining in a dark place, until the day dawns(AM) and the morning star(AN) rises in your hearts.(AO) 20 Above all, you must understand(AP) that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God(AQ) as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(AR)

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets(AS) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.(AT) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord(AU) who bought them(AV)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct(AW) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed(AX) these teachers will exploit you(AY) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned,(AZ) but sent them to hell,[c] putting them in chains of darkness[d] to be held for judgment;(BA) 5 if he did not spare the ancient world(BB) when he brought the flood on its ungodly people,(BC) but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;(BD) 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes,(BE) and made them an example(BF) of what is going to happen to the ungodly;(BG) 7 and if he rescued Lot,(BH) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless(BI) 8 (for that righteous man,(BJ) living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials(BK) and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.(BL) 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire(BM) of the flesh[e] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;(BN) 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from[f] the Lord.(BO) 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.(BP)

13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.(BQ) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.[g](BR) 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce(BS) the unstable;(BT) they are experts in greed(BU)—an accursed brood!(BV) 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam(BW) son of Bezer,[h] who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.(BX)

17 These people are springs without water(BY) and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.(BZ) 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words(CA) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping(CB) from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”(CC) 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing(CD) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ(CE) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.(CF) 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.(CG) 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”[i](CH) and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,(CI) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders(CJ) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets(CK) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.(CL)

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days(CM) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.(CN) 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?(CO) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”(CP) 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word(CQ) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.(CR) 6 By these waters also the world of that time(CS) was deluged and destroyed.(CT) 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,(CU) being kept for the day of judgment(CV) and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But 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.(CW) 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(CX) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(CY) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(CZ)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(DA) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(DB) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(DC) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[j](DD)

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward(DE) to the day of God and speed its coming.[k](DF) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(DG) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(DH) where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless(DI) and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience(DJ) means salvation,(DK) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.(DL) 16 He 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(DM) people distort,(DN) as they do the other Scriptures,(DO) to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard(DP) so that you may not be carried away by the error(DQ) of the lawless(DR) and fall from your secure position.(DS) 18 But grow in the grace(DT) and knowledge(DU) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(DV) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.(DW)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
  2. 2 Peter 1:17 Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35
  3. 2 Peter 2:4 Greek Tartarus
  4. 2 Peter 2:4 Some manuscripts in gloomy dungeons
  5. 2 Peter 2:10 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 18.
  6. 2 Peter 2:11 Many manuscripts beings in the presence of
  7. 2 Peter 2:13 Some manuscripts in their love feasts
  8. 2 Peter 2:15 Greek Bosor
  9. 2 Peter 2:22 Prov. 26:11
  10. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
  11. 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
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2 Peter 1-3
King James Version

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

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

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

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

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

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

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

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

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

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

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

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