1 T his is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance;

This, now, beloved, a second letter to you I write, in both which I stir up your pure mind in reminding,

2 t hat ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:

to be mindful of the sayings said before by the holy prophets, and of the command of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour,

3 k nowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,

this first knowing, that there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers, according to their own desires going on,

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

and saying, `Where is the promise of his presence? for since the fathers did fall asleep, all things so remain from the beginning of the creation;'

5 F or this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God;

for this is unobserved by them willingly, that the heavens were of old, and the earth out of water and through water standing together by the word of God,

6 b y which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

through which the then world, by water having been deluged, was destroyed;

7 b ut the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men.

8 B ut forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

And this one thing let not be unobserved by you, beloved, that one day with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day;

9 T he Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,

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

and it will come -- the day of the Lord -- as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away, and the elements with burning heat be dissolved, and earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.

11 S eeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,

All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts?

12 l ooking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt;

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

and for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise we do wait, in which righteousness doth dwell;

14 W herefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.

wherefore, beloved, these things waiting for, be diligent, spotless and unblameable, by Him to be found in peace,

15 A nd account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;

and the long-suffering of our Lord count ye salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul -- according to the wisdom given to him -- did write to you,

16 a s also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, among which things are certain hard to be understood, which the untaught and unstable do wrest, as also the other Writings, unto their own destruction.

17 Y e therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.

Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness,

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

and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.