Second Peter 3:1-18

Peter continues by referring to his first letter, generally known today as First Peter, and he again addresses the holy-people as loved¹ (refer to I or II Peter chapter 1 for an explanation of “love¹”).

II Peter 3:1-4:

^3:1Already I write to you, loved-people¹, this second letter, in which (letters) I throughly-raise-up your genuine mind-process in remembrance, ^.2(for you) to be caused-to-remember the spoken-matters having been said-beforehand² by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior (by) your apostles;

^.3firstly knowing this that deriders will come on (the) last days in derision journeying according to their own intense-yearnings ^.4and saying, “Where is the promise of his presence, for from which the fathers were caused-to-sleep thus all-things throughly-remain from (the) beginning of creation?”

By this time I am writing this second letter to you, loved-people¹ (beloved, truly you are loved by God and by myself with God’s kind of love)…

in which letters (both of them) I throughly raise up (I fully or thoroughly arouse, cause to be active)
- your genuine mind-process (your meditation, the conscious thinking-through and reflecting on the perception in your mind, which is genuine as though being examined in the bright sunlight and found to be sincere)
  - in remembrance (within the sphere of action of a reminding, giving you a reminder),
for you to be caused to remember (to recollect, call to your minds, be reminded of)
- the spoken-matters (the sayings or portions of the whole of God’s Word containing the specific discourses) which were foretold to you and they have not changed (they were definitely communicated previously with words to you)
  - by the holy prophets (by/under the power, hand, or agency of the sanctified prophets, those who spoke words from God to others regarding the past, present and/or future, and much of these words were then written down)
- and the commandment (that-which is enjoined or commanded) of, from or pertaining-to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
  - by your apostles (people sent-forth by God and/or by the Lord Jesus Christ on a mission or specific assignment to you);
firstly knowing this (in the first place personally knowing, having a truly active and relative knowing, being personally knowledgeable of this fact) that
- deriders (people who play-with, mock like a child, toy-with other people)
- will come on the last days (during the final or extreme days, the more remote, uttermost span of time in which we all live currently as we await the Lord’s presence)
  - within the sphere of action of carrying-out their derision
- journeying according to their own intense-yearnings (passing or traveling through their everyday living in accordance, conformity, proportion to/with their own lusts, here used in the bad sense, strong desires attached or fixed upon certain objects other-than God and the things of God)
- and saying,
  - “Where is the promise of his presence (at the present time where is the proclamation or declaration of the message of God’s intention pertaining to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s coming and then being present, his arrival – it hasn’t happened yet so where is the fulfillment of this promise),
  - in fact, from/since the time that the promise was made by God, the fathers were caused to sleep (they have already died)
  - in this manner all-things throughly remain (continue to remain thoroughly, stay through and through, they permanently and fully continue unchanged)
  - from/since the beginning of creation (the start of the created-thing, that-which was brought into being, established, and is still in progress at the present time)?”

[Reference: Genesis 3:15; Acts 2:17, 3:21, 13:36 and 47; I Corinthians 14:37, 15:23; Ephesians 2:20, 3:5; II Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 11:39 and 40; James 5:3; I Peter 1:4, 2:11, 4:12; II Peter 1:13, 16, 20 and 21, 2:10, 20 and 21; Jude 1:17 and 18.]

Verses 5-7:

^.5For this is un-noticed intentionally by-them that (the) heavens used-to-be from-old and (the) earth (used-to-be) having stood-together² with the word of God from water and by means of water, ^.6by means of which (waters) the then world having been flooded with water destroyed-itself; ^.7but now the heavens and the earth with the same word are having been treasured² being kept into (the) day of judgment and destruction of not-reverential men with fire.

In truth, this is intentionally not noticed by them (it by-passes their minds’ knowledge, escapes their notice willingly) that…

the heavens (the areas above the earth) were continuing during a period of time that has now become old
and the earth was continuing during a past time standing in conjunction with the heavens and continuing to stand
- with the word of God (by what God spoke, the spoken account of the inner-thoughts of God)
  - from water (out from water; refer to Genesis 1:6-8)
  - and by means of water (through water; refer to Genesis 1:9 and 10),
by means of which waters (both the water above and the water below the earth as described in Genesis 1:6-10)
- the then world (the ordered-arrangement where mankind inhabited which existed at that past time from creation until the flood)
  - having been flooded (deluged cataclysmically, inundated down on) with/by/in water
- destroyed itself (caused itself to be destroyed, to be utterly ruined, completely lost away from God and mankind);
but at the present time the heavens and the earth with/by the same word (as verse 5 above – the word of God) are
- having been treasured (stored up, laid in store, stored-up as in a thesaurus, in-storage) and they are still treasured
being kept into the day (presently being kept, as an eye being kept on them, they are being watched-over with a view to, directed to the time-period) of
- judgment (the action of pronouncing sentence, the process of making a separating decision, the passing of judgment, a decision being made in judgment)
- and destruction (loss, perdition, the state of being utterly lost and ruined away-from God)
  - of not-reverential men (human-beings who are without reverential respect for God, who do not have reverence to/for God)
- with/by/in fire.

[Reference: Genesis 1:6-10, 6:17, 7:11, chapters 7 and 8, 9:11-15; Psalm 24:1 and 2, 136:5 and 6; Matthew 3:12, 13:40-42, 24:38 and 39; Romans 8:19-21; I Corinthians 3:13-15; Philippians 3:17-21; II Thessalonians 1:5-10; Hebrews 1:10-12, 10:39, 11:7, 12:29; James 5:3; I Peter 3:20; II Peter 2:1-6 and 9; Revelation chapter 20 and 21:8.]

Verses 8 and 9:

^.8But this one-thing must not be un-noticed by-you, loved-people¹, that one day with (the) Lord (is) as a thousand years and a thousand years (is) as one day. ^.9(The) Lord is not slow of promise as some-people lead (their minds to regard) slowness but He is patient into you, not deliberately-determining some-people to destroy-themselves but all-people to make-space into repentance.

It is imperative that this one fact/truth does not by-pass your minds’ knowledge (escape your notice), loved-people¹ (as verse 1 above), that…

one day with the Lord (a single 24-hour period of time at rest beside, at or with the Lord, in the Lord’s viewpoint) is
- as a thousand years
and a thousand years is
- as one day.

The Lord is not slow pertaining to the promise (God does not delay in implementing the fulfillment of the proclamation or declaration of the message of His intention)

as some-people lead their minds to regard (take the initiative, cause it to be in their minds to view)
- slowness (delaying, tardiness)

…but on the contrary, God is patient into you (long-suffering, long-tempered, He has long-forbearance for you)…

not deliberately-determining (not purposefully willing)
- some-people to destroy themselves (that some of the people who have not-yet believed what God says would cause themselves to be destroyed, to be utterly ruined, completely lost away from God)
but contrary to destroying themselves, God purposefully wills
- all-people to make-space (that everyone would make a place, make room)
  - into repentance (for, with a view to a change of mind from bad to good, emphasizing the mind’s change after re-thinking the matter).

[Reference: Psalm 90:4; I Timothy 2:1-4; Hebrews 6:4-6.]

Verses 10-13:

^.10But (the) day of (the) Lord will have-come as a thief in which the heavens with a rushing-roar will go-by but rudiments burning will be loosened and (the) earth and the works in it will be found. ^.11(During) all these-things thus being loosened, what-quality-people is it necessary to begin-to-be in holy behaviors and reverences, ^.12expecting and hastening the presence of the day of God because-of which (the) heavens being set-on-fire will be loosened and (the) rudiments burning are melted! ^.13But we expect (the) new heavens and (the) new earth according to His promise in which righteousness dwells-down.

The day of the Lord will be in the state of having come (at a future time it will definitely have arrived) as a thief (in comparison to how a person who steals by fraud or in secret, a kleptomaniac comes to his target)….

The day of the Lord refers to that time commencing with the coming and presence of Christ to gather together the church, as taught by Paul in I Thessalonians chapter 4, and will continue with the wrath portion and end with Christ handing the kingdom over to God his Father. At the exact-moment that the Lord Jesus Christ will come then begins his day, referring to his time (not just one 24-hour period) when he will exercise and demonstrate the fullness of his lordship and authority and strength and ability to/before all people and spirits in heaven and earth (excluding God Himself of course). Nobody or no spirit will be able to stop him; he will be carrying out God's will!

The Lord Jesus Christ is not being likened to a thief, but the day of the Lord comes in a manner as a thief comes. In what manner does a thief come? First of all, nobody is aware of what chronological day/night he will come, because the thief does not make this information known. Secondly, nobody knows the specific time of his coming during the day/night he chooses to come, because the thief does not make this information known either. Therefore, nobody can truthfully say, "The thief will come at 10:30 on Tuesday night, so I will lock everything up at 10:15 on Tuesday night and be prepared and ready for his coming"! Nor can anyone see a thief coming and therefore cannot truthfully say, "I see him coming in the distance, he is definitely on his way here at this very moment, so let us prepare quickly"! The timing of the day of the Lord coming is under the authority of the only true God; He will give the Lord Jesus Christ the 'go-ahead' when that time comes.

The day of the Lord will have-come as a thief…

in which (during the time of the day of the Lord)
- the heavens as they are now with a loud sound of movement
  - will go-by (pass-by, pass beside or alongside)
- but rudiments burning (the base elements, as the first little steps in a line or series, the basic or first principles pertaining to the heavens which will be scorching with intense heat)
  - will be loosened (be unbound, unfastened, released, untied from their usual areas, locations or orbits)
- and the earth and the works in it (the things that are wrought, the deeds, the effects-produced with/by people having acted expending their energy within the sphere of action of the earth)
  - will be found (the earth and the works will be encountered, reached or discovered; they will not be able to hide or escape from the burning).

While all these-things are presently being loosened in this manner (the loosening has already begun and is currently in progress, but these things have not become fully loose yet because the Lord Jesus Christ will gather together his church of holy-people first to begin the day of the Lord)…

what-quality-people (what sort, how, what kind or manner of people) is it necessary to begin to be (is it binding, ought/must people start or commence being) within the sphere of action of
- holy behaviors (sanctified modes of living, ways of turning-up, manners of moving-about during everyday living – every behavior should be set-apart from what is common, defiled or unclean against God; they should correspond to the essence of God)
- and reverences (plural noun referring to actions or behaviors carried out in good service, services that are well, services towards God being respectfully reverential of Him),
expecting (watching for the arrival of)
and hastening (hurrying, urging themselves on, being diligent with speed)
so as to be prepared for
- the presence of the day of God (the coming and then being present of the period of time when God is implementing His wrath and judgment by means of the Lord Jesus Christ, as verse 7 above)
- on account of which (the presence of that day)
  - the heavens being set-on-fire (being ignited, burned, inflamed and glowing with heat as a furnace, fired-up) will be loosened (become fully loose)
  - and the rudiments burning are melted (dissolved, caused to thaw as snow into liquid)!

But we are presently and actively expecting (waiting for the arrival of)…

the new heavens (the areas above the earth which will be newly-made and different compared to the old previously in existence, new compared to the former, new because they will replace the old; at that future time the new heavens will be in effect instead of what is there today)
and the new earth (the earth which will be newly-made and different compared to the old previously in existence, new compared to the former, new because it will replace the old; at that future time the new earth will be in effect instead of what is there today)
- in accordance (conformity, proportion) to/with God’s promise
in which (within the sphere of action of the new heavens and the new earth)
- righteousness dwells-down (justness, justice, the state of being and doing what is just/right permanently dwells, settles-down, fixedly houses, inhabits).

First/old heavens and earth – Genesis 1:1 to Genesis chapters 7 and 8 (refer to II Peter 3:5 and 6).

Second/current heavens and earth – Genesis 8 to the end of Revelation 20 (refer to II Peter 3:7-10).

Third/future heavens and earth – Revelation 21:1 onwards (refer to II Peter 3:13).

[Reference: Psalm 97:5, 102:25 and 26; Isaiah 34:4; Matthew 5:17 and 18, and chapters 24 and 25; Acts 2:16-21, 3:21; Romans 2:5 and 16, 8:19-22; I Corinthians 3:15, 15:23-28 and 51-58; II Corinthians 12:2; Ephesians 1:10; Philippians 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11; II Thessalonians 1:6-10, 2:2-12; Hebrews 4:14, 6:7 and 8, 10:35-39, 11:9 and 10; I Peter 1:15; Revelation 6:12-14, 16:14, 21:1 onwards. Chart ]

Verses 14-16:

^.14On-which-account, loved-people¹, expecting these-things you must be earnestly-diligent to be found spotless-people and people-without-blemish by him in peace, ^.15and you must lead (your minds to regard) the patience of our Lord (to be) salvation, according as also our loved¹ brother Paul according to the wisdom having been given to him wrote to you, ^.16as also in all epistles uttering-forth in them concerning these-things, in which some-things are hard-to-mentally-perceive, which the unlearned-people and not-set-fast-people twist as also the remaining writings towards their own destruction.

On account of what is written so-far in this letter, loved-people¹ (as verses 1 and 8 above)…

while we holy-people are presently and actively expecting these-things (described in verses 12 and 13 above)
you must be earnestly-diligent (have speedy application or performance, assiduity, endeavor with earnestness) to be found
- spotless-people (in the state of being stainless, without marks or stains in the walk/behavior category)
- and people-without-blemish (having the quality of being unblemished, no fault to be found because of some defect or flaw as a spot or damage in you)
  - by the Lord Jesus Christ
  - in peace (living peacefully, in tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement),
and you must lead your minds to regard (take the initiative, cause it to be in your minds to view)
- the patience (long-suffering, long-forbearance towards or with others, long-temperedness, as verse 9 above)
- of our Lord
  - to be salvation (allowing people time to become saved, to be in safety, the standing and state of being saved, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction),
according as also our loved¹ brother Paul (referring to the Apostle Paul identifying him by name, and that he is beloved, as verses 1, 8 and 14 above, and a brother of Peter and those to whom Peter was writing – all holy-people are brothers in the holy spirit category because all of us have received the same gift of holy spirit and we are therefore all children of God our Father)
- in accordance with the wisdom (the skillful and expert application of personal knowledge, doing what is required concerning a specific situation or circumstance)
  - that was given to him (refer to II Peter 1:20 and 21)
wrote to you (refer to the writing known as the book of “Hebrews”),
as also in all epistles (every one of his letters) speaking in/by them about these-things,
- within which epistles some things are hard to mentally perceive (certain portions of Paul’s writings are difficult to observe with our minds, to see to the end of knowing mentally),
  - which the unlearned-people (those who are without intellectual information, knowledge or skill, who are not disciples or students of what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ)
  - and not-set-fast-people (those who are not fixed, not established on the truth of God’s Word)
  - twist (turn tightly, distort, wrest, wrench or stretch from the truth of what is written)
  - as they also twist
- the rest of the writings (refer to II Peter 1:16-21; Peter confirms that Paul’s writings/letters are God’s Word also)
  - in motion approaching towards their own destruction (loss, perdition, being utterly lost and ruined away-from God).

[Reference: Romans 2:4, 8:19-21, and chapter 11; I Corinthians 1:30, 2:7 and 13, 12:8; II Corinthians 4:3-6, 5:10; Ephesians 1:17, 3:5; Philippians 2:15; Colossians 1:28, 2:3; I Timothy 6:3; Hebrews 5:11; James 1:5, 3:17; I Peter 1:19, 2:2, 3:18-22, 5:12; II Peter 1:10, 2:1-3, 13 and 14.]

Verses 17 and 18:

^.17Therefore you, loved-people¹, knowing-beforehand must keep-watch in order that you may not fall-from (your) own setting-fast having been led-away-together with (the) wandering of the rejecters; ^.18but you must increase in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – to him (is) the glory both now and into (the) day of (the) age, with-certainty.

Following-on logically from what is written above, emphatically you…

loved-people¹ (as verses 1, 8 and 14 above),
- who are knowledgeable beforehand (you have personal knowledge of the events described in this letter prior-to, in-advance-of them occurring)
must keep-watch (be vigilant to watch yourselves, keep yourselves safe, guard yourselves)
for the purpose and result that
- you would not fall out from your own setting-fast (your state of being firmly fixed, established in the truth of God’s Word)
  - which would happen after being conducted away from the truth in conjunction with
  - the wandering (the error, not staying in their rightful place, the leading astray away-from the truth of God's Word)
  - of the rejecters (those who reject what God says, who un-put the truth, put it from themselves, they displace it during their everyday living);

…but it is imperative that you presently and actively increase (augment, be continually growing, expanding)…

within the cause and sphere of action of
grace and knowledge pertaining-to and issuing-from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (during the everyday living of your lives; refer to II Peter 1:1 and 2) –
- to him is the glory (to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the importance, splendor, and renown)
- both now (at the present time, right-now)
- and into the day of the age (referring to the full length of the specific age that began when God resurrected him and that will not end, for the time-period of his lifetime, throughout the duration of his life),
- with-certainty (amen, truly, surely! [some Greek texts omit “with certainty”]).

[Reference: II Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; Philippians 3:10 and 21; Colossians 1:27, 3:4; II Timothy 4:18; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 2:7 and 9, 5:6, 6:20, 7:24; James 2:1; I Peter 1:11 and 21, 2:2, 5:1 and 4, 4:13; II Peter 1:12, 2:7 and 18. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]