This 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;
that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:
knowing this first, that {Greek: in the last of the days.}in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,
and saying, Where is the promise of his {Greek: presence.}coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and {Or, through}amidst water, by the word of God;
by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been {Or, stored with fire}stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The 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.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the {Or, heavenly bodies}elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be {The most ancient manuscripts read discovered.}burned up.
Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,
looking for and {Or, hastening}earnestly desiring the {Greek: presence.}coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the {Or, heavenly bodies}elements shall melt with fervent heat?
But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
And 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;
as 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.
Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and {Greek: unto the day of eternity. Ecclus. 18:10}for ever. Amen.
Querverweise zu 2. Petrus 3,11 2Pet 3,11
looking for and {Or, hastening}earnestly desiring the {Greek: presence.}coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the {Or, heavenly bodies}elements shall melt with fervent heat?
And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,To cast down the poor and needy,To slay such as are upright in the way.
seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us {Some ancient authorities read through glory and virtue.}by his own glory and virtue;
{Or, When the earth…I set up}The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved:I have {Hebrew: proportioned.}set up the pillars of it. [Selah
{Or, because our gospel & c.}how that our {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much {Or, fulness}assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.
Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me;And {Or, prepareth a way that I may show him}to him that ordereth his way arightWill I show the salvation of God.
and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control {Or, stedfastness}patience; and in your {Or, stedfastness}patience godliness;
Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou art melted away, O Philistia, all of thee; for there cometh a smoke out of the north, and {Or, name standeth aloof at his appointed times}there is no straggler in his ranks.
for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; {The word God, in place of He who, rests on no sufficient ancient evidence. Some ancient authorities read which.}He who was manifested in the flesh,Justified in the spirit,Seen of angels,Preached among the {Or, Gentiles}nations,Believed on in the world,Received up in glory.
The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is shaken violently.
Only {Greek: behave as citizens worthily. Compare chapter 3:20.}let your manner of life be worthy of the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 1:5.}gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving {Greek: with.}for the faith of the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on chapter 1:5.}gospel;
If any man teacheth a different doctrine, and consenteth not to {Greek: healthful.}sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
And all the host of heaven shall {Or, moulder away}be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fade away, as the leaf fadeth from off the vine, and as a fading leaf from the fig-tree.
For our {Or, commonwealth}citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
But godliness with contentment is great gain:
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, {Or, stedfastness}patience, meekness.
{Greek: Let your turn of mind be free.}Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, {Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5}I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.
Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
but {Or, like the Holy One who called you}like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living;
having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.