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 亲爱的, 我现在写给你们的是第二封信。在这两封信中, 我都用提醒的话来激发你们真诚的心,
2 叫你们记起圣先知说过的话, 和主救主借着使徒传给你们的诫命。
3 最重要的, 你们应当知道: 在末后的日子, 必定有好讥笑的人出来, 随着自己的私欲讥笑说:
4 "他要降临的应许在哪里呢?因为自从列祖睡了以来, 万物依然存在, 与起初创造的时候一样。"
5 他们故意忘记这事: 在太古的时候, 因着 神的话, 就有了天, 和从水而出、借水而成的地。
6 当时的世界, 因被水淹没而消灭了。
7 但现在的天地, 还是因着同样的话可以存留, 直到不敬虔的人受审判和遭灭亡的日子, 用火焚烧。
8 亲爱的, 这一件事你们不可忘记: 在主看来, 一日如千年, 千年如一日。
9 主决不耽延他的应许, 像有些人以为他是耽延的一样; 其实他是宽容你们, 不愿有一人灭亡, 却愿人人都悔改。
10 但主的日子必要像贼一样来到。在那日, 天必轰然一声地消失, 所有元素都因烈火而融化; 地和地上所有的, 都要被烧毁。
11 这一切既然都要这样融化, 你们应当怎样为人, 过着圣洁和敬虔的生活,
12 等候并催促 神的日子降临呢?因为在那日, 天要被火焚烧就融化了, 所有元素都因烈火而融解!
13 但是我们按照他所应许的, 等候新天新地, 有公义在那里居住。
14 所以, 亲爱的, 你们既然等候这些事, 就当殷勤努力, 使你们没有污点, 没有瑕疵, 安然见主。
15 并且要以我们的主恒久忍耐为给人得救的机会, 就如我们所亲爱的弟兄保罗, 按照所赐给他的智慧, 写给你们的一样;
16 他在一切书信上, 都讲论这些事。在这些书信中, 有些难明白的地方, 那不学无术和不稳定的人加以曲解, 好像曲解别的经书一样, 就自取灭亡。
17 所以, 亲爱的, 你们既然预先知道了, 就要谨慎, 免得受恶人的错谬引导, 就从自己坚固的地步上坠落。
18 你们却要在我们的主、救主耶稣基督的恩典和知识上长进。愿荣耀归给他, 从现在直到永远。阿们。