Bible Commentaries

This ¹ second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

(1) The remedy against those wicked enemies, both of true doctrine and holiness, is to be sought for by the continual meditation of the writings of the prophets and apostles.

² Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days ^a scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

(2) He vouches the second coming of Christ against the Epicureans by name.

(a) Monstrous men, who will seem wise by their contempt of God, and wicked boldness.

³ 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.

(3) The reason that these mockers pretend that the course of nature is as it was from the beginning, therefore the world was from everlasting, and shall be forever.

⁴ For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the ^b earth standing out of the water and in the water:

(4) He sets against them the creation of heaven and earth by the word of God, which these men are willingly ignorant of.

(b) Which appeared, when the waters were gathered together into one place.

⁵ Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with ^c water, perished:

(5) Secondly he sets against them the universal flood, which was the destruction of the whole world.

(c) For the waters returning into their former place, this world, that is to say, this beauty of the earth which we see, and all living creatures which live upon the earth, perished.

⁶ 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.

(6) Thirdly, he pronounces that it will not be harder for God to burn heaven and earth with fire, in that day which is appointed for the destruction of the wicked (which he will also do) than it was for him in times past to create them only with his word, and afterward to overwhelm them with water.

⁷ 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.

(7) The taking away of an objection: in that he seems to desire this judgment for a long time, in respect of us it is true, but not before God, which whom there is no time either long or short.

⁸ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; ⁹ but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

(8) The Lord will surely come, because he has promised: and neither sooner nor later than he has promised. {(9)} A reason why the last day does not come too soon, because God patiently waits until all the elect are brought to repentance, that none of them may perish.

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 ^d noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

(10) A very short description of the last destruction of the world, but in such sort as nothing could be spoken more gravely.

(d) With the violence of a storm.

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

(11) An exhortation to purity of life, setting before us that horrible judgment of God, both to bridle our wantonness, and also to comfort us, so that we are found watching and ready to meet him at his coming.

Looking for and ^e 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?

(e) He requires patience from us, yet such patience as is not slothful.

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

(f) In which heavens.

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

(g) that you may try to your benefit, how gently and profitable he is.

And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation; ¹² even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

(12) Paul's epistles are allowed by the express testimony of Peter.

As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; ¹³ 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.

(13) There are some things that are obscure and dark which the ignorant use to overthrow men who are not established, wrestling the testimony of the scripture for their own destruction. But this is the remedy against such deceit, to labour that we may daily more and more grow up and increase in the knowledge of Christ.