The Day of the Lord
1Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8But 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. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He 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 people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
主再来的应许
1亲爱的弟兄姊妹，我现在写给你们的是第二封信。这两封信都是为了提醒你们，激励你们保持真诚的心， 2叫你们记得从前圣先知们说的预言，以及我们的主和救主借使徒传给你们的诫命。
3最重要的是，你们要知道，末世必出现冷嘲热讽、放纵自己邪情私欲的人。他们说： 4“主要降临的应许在哪里？从我们的祖先长眠地下直到现在，万物依旧与创世之初一样。” 5他们故意忽略：太初，上帝凭口中的话语创造了诸天，并借着水从水中造出了地； 6后来，那个世界被水淹没而毁灭了。 7现在的天地同样是凭上帝的话语保留到被火焚烧的日子，就是不敬虔的人被审判和毁灭的日子。
8亲爱的弟兄姊妹，有一件事你们不可忽略，就是主看一日如千年，千年如一日。 9主的应许还未实现，有人以为祂拖延，其实祂不是拖延，而是在宽容你们。祂不愿任何人灭亡，愿意人人都悔改。 10不过，主的日子会像贼一样突然临到。那日，诸天必在一声巨响中消失，有形有质的都要被烈火熔化，大地和其中的一切将不复存在。
11-12既然一切都要这样被熔化，你们在热切等候上帝的日子来临期间，该过怎样圣洁、敬虔的生活啊！因为到那日，天要被火焚毁，有形有质的都要被烈火熔化。 13但我们等候的是上帝应许的新天新地，有公义住在其中。
14所以，亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你们既然盼望这些事，就当努力使自己在主面前毫无瑕疵，无可指责，安然无惧。 15你们要把我们主的宽容看作是让众人得救的机会，正如我们亲爱的弟兄保罗按着上帝赐给他的智慧写信告诉你们的。 16他所有的书信都谈到这些事。一些不学无术、反复无常的人曲解了信中一些难懂的地方，就像曲解其他经文一样，他们是自取灭亡。
17因此，亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你们既然预先知道了这些事，就应该小心谨慎，不要让那些不法之徒用错谬的理论引诱你们，使你们失去原本坚定的立场。 18相反，你们要在我们的主和救主耶稣基督的恩典中不断长进，越来越认识祂。
愿荣耀归给祂，从现在直到永远。阿们！
