1 This, a second letter, beloved, I already write to you, in {both} which I stir up, in the way of putting you in remembrance, your pure mind,2 to be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles;3 knowing this first, that there shall come at {the} close of the days mockers with mocking, walking according to their own lusts,4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for from the time the fathers fell asleep all things remain thus from {the} beginning of {the} creation.5 For this is hidden from them through their own wilfulness, that heavens were of old, and an earth, having its subsistence out of water and in water, by the word of God,6 through which {waters} the then world, deluged with water, perished.7 But the present heavens and the earth by his word are laid up in store, kept for fire unto a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.8 But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with {the} Lord {is} as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9 {The} Lord does not delay his promise, as some account of delay, but is longsuffering towards you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.10 But the day of {the} Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and {the} elements, burning with heat, shall be dissolved, and {the} earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.11 All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness,12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which {the} heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and {the} elements, burning with heat, shall melt?13 But, according to his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.14 Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless;15 and account the longsuffering of our Lord {to be} salvation; according as our beloved brother Paul also has written to you according to the wisdom given to him,16 as also in all {his} epistles, speaking in them of these things; among which some things are hard to be understood, which the untaught and ill-established wrest, as also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.17 *Ye* therefore, beloved, knowing {these} things before, take care lest, being led away along with the error of the wicked, ye should fall from your own stedfastness:18 but grow in grace, and in {the} knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him {be} glory both now and to {the} day of eternity. Amen.

1 Dit is reeds die tweede brief, geliefdes, wat ek aan julle skrywe. In albei wil ek deur herinnering julle suiwere gesindheid opwek,2 sodat julle die woorde kan onthou wat deur die heilige profete tevore gespreek is, en die gebod van ons, apostels van die Here en Verlosser.3 Dit moet julle veral weet, dat daar aan die einde van die dae spotters sal kom wat volgens hulle eie begeerlikhede wandel4 en sê: Waar is die belofte van sy wederkoms? Want vandat die vaders ontslaap het, bly alles soos dit was van die begin van die skepping af.5 Want moedswillig vergeet hulle dat daar van lankal af hemele was en 'n aarde wat uit water en deur water ontstaan het deur die woord van God,6 waardeur die toenmalige wêreld met water oorstroom is en vergaan het.7 Maar die teenswoordige hemele en die aarde is deur dieselfde woord as 'n skat weggelê en word vir die vuur bewaar teen die dag van die oordeel en die verderf van die goddelose mense.8 Maar laat hierdie een ding julle nie ontgaan nie, geliefdes, dat een dag by die Here soos duisend jaar is en duisend jaar soos een dag.9 Die Here vertraag nie die belofte soos sommige dit vertraging ag nie, maar Hy is lankmoedig oor ons en wil nie hê dat sommige moet vergaan nie, maar dat almal tot bekering moet kom.10 Maar die dag van die Here sal kom soos 'n dief in die nag, waarin die hemele met gedruis sal verbygaan en die elemente sal brand en vergaan, en die aarde en die werke wat daarop is, sal verbrand.11 Terwyl al hierdie dinge dan vergaan, hoedanig moet julle nie wees in heilige wandel en godsvrug nie? --12 julle wat die koms van die dag van God verwag en verhaas, waardeur die hemele deur vuur sal vergaan en die elemente sal brand en versmelt.13 Maar ons verwag volgens sy belofte nuwe hemele en 'n nuwe aarde waarin geregtigheid woon.14 Daarom, geliefdes, terwyl julle hierdie dinge verwag, beywer julle dat julle vlekkeloos en onberispelik voor Hom bevind mag word in vrede.15 En ag die lankmoedigheid van onse Here as saligheid, soos ons geliefde broeder Paulus ook met die wysheid wat aan hom gegee is, aan julle geskryf het,16 net soos in al die briewe. Hy spreek daarin oor hierdie dinge, waarvan sommige swaar is om te verstaan, wat die ongeleerde en onvaste mense verdraai, net soos die ander Skrifte, tot hul eie verderf.17 Noudat julle dit dan vooruit weet, geliefdes, moet julle op jul hoede wees dat julle nie miskien meegesleep word deur die dwaling van sedelose mense en wegval uit jul eie vastigheid nie.18 Maar julle moet toeneem in die genade en kennis van onse Here en Saligmaker, Jesus Christus. Aan Hom kom die heerlikheid toe, nou sowel as in die dag van die ewigheid. Amen.