1 This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you 2 that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 5 For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God, 6 by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. 7 But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, 12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight. 15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

1 Mu armsad, see on nüüd juba teine kiri, mille ma teile kirjutan. Neis mõlemas olen tahtnud meelde tuletades virgutada teie siirast meelt, 2 et te meenutaksite ettekuulutusi, mida pühad prohvetid on rääkinud, ning Issanda ja Päästja käsku, mida teile on andnud apostlid.

3 Kõigepealt teadke seda, et viimseil päevil tuleb jõhkraid pilkajaid, kes elavad oma himude järgi 4 ja ütlevad: „Kus on tema tõotatud tagasitulek? Sestpeale kui meie esiisad läksid magama, on kõik jäänud nõnda nagu loomise algusest peale."

5 Nad unustavad tahtlikult selle, et muiste olid olemas taevad ja veest tõusis maa, mis püsis Jumala sõna väel; 6 ja vee läbi tollane maailm ka hukkus veeuputuses. 7 Ent praegused taevad ja maa säilitatakse sama sõna läbi ning hoitakse alles tule jaoks jumalakartmatute inimeste kohtu ja hävitamise päevaks.

8 Seejuures ärgu mingu teil meelest, mu armsad, et Issanda juures on üks päev nagu tuhat aastat ja tuhat aastat nagu üksainus päev. 9 Issand ei viivita tõotuse täitmisega, nagu mõned peavad seda viivitamiseks, vaid tema on pika meelega teie vastu. Tema ju ei taha, et keegi hukkuks, vaid et kõik tuleksid meeleparandusele.

10 Aga Issanda päev tuleb nagu varas: siis hävivad taevad raginal, taevakehad lagunevad tules ja maad koos kõige tema peal tehtuga ei leita enam.

11 Kui kõik see nõnda laguneb, missugused siis peate olema teie pühas eluviisis ja jumalakartuses, 12 oodates ja kiirendades Jumala päeva tulemist? Sel päeval lagunevad taevad lõõmates ja taevakehad sulavad põledes. 13 Meie ootame aga tema tõotuse järgi uut taevast ja uut maad, kus õigus elab püsivalt.

14 Seepärast, armsad, kuni te ootate, pingutage selle nimel, et tema teid leiaks veatuina ja laitmatuina rahus. 15 Pidage meeles, et meie Issanda pikk meel tähendab päästmist, nii nagu ka meie armas vend Paulus teile on kirjutanud tarkusega, mis Jumal temale andis. 16 Nõnda räägib ta neist asjust kõikides kirjades, kus on nii mõnigi raskesti mõistetav koht, mida õppimata ja ebakindlad inimesed väänavad nagu muudki Pühakirja omaenda hukatuseks.

17 Teie siis, armsad, teades seda juba ette, olge valvel, et teid ei kistaks kaasa kõlbluseta inimeste eksitustega, ja et te ei langeks ära kindlalt aluselt. 18 Ja kasvage meie Issanda ja Päästja Jeesuse Kristuse armus ja tundmises!

Temale kuulugu kirkus nüüd ja igavesti! Aamen.