3:1 Loved ones, this is already the second letter I’m writing to you, waking you up and reminding you of the sincere understanding of what has been declared before.

3:2 I am reminding you of what was declared before by the holy prophets, and the teachings of your Ambassadors of the Master and Savior.

3:3 Understand above all that in the last days mockers will come (because mockery is what they crave),

3:4 saying, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? From the time our ancestors died until now, everything goes on as it has from the beginning of creation.”

3:5 For they are deliberately ignorant of this: that the ancient heavens and earth were made out of water and held together in water by the word of God.

3:6 The world at that time was destroyed by the Flood,

3:7 but the current heavens and earth have been reserved by that same word to be burned, being kept for the day of judgment and the destruction of irreverent people.

3:8 Now do not let this one thing escape you, loved ones: To the Master, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

3:9 The Master is not late with his promise, as some consider lateness, but is being patient with you. He does not intend for any to die, but to make room for all to come to a change of mind.

3:10 Yet the Day of the Master will come as a thief; the heavens will disappear with a roar and the elements will be dissolved by burning, so that everything done in the earth will be discovered.

3:11 Seeing that everything will disintegrate in this way, what kind of people should you be? You behavior should be devout,

3:12 anticipating and hurrying along the arrival of the Day of God when the heavens will be burned up and the elements consumed by fire.

3:13 But according to his promise, we hope for a new heavens and earth where justice lives.

3:14 So, loved ones, hope for these things. Make every effort to be found in peace, spotless and flawless in him.

3:15 And consider the patient salvation of our Master, as our dear brother Paul writes to you in the wisdom he was given.

3:16 He writes about all these things, talking about them in his letters. Some of it is hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist as they do with the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

3:17 You then, loved ones, know this ahead of time: Be on guard so that you are not led away into deception by those with loose morals, making you lose your resolve.

3:18 Yet grow in the favor and knowledge of our Master and Savior Jesus the Anointed. All honor to him, now and up to the first day of eternity, absolutely!