The dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 2:16
3:1-2
1This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
This is the second epistle that I've written to you. [1]
3:3-5
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
There will be scoffers in the last days who will say,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Where's Jesus? [2]
Many have died believing he would return,
but everything is the same as it always has been.
3:6-14
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
God previously destroyed the world in a flood. [3]
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
But a day with the Lord is a thousand years,
and a thousand years is a day.
9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The Lord doesn't want any to perish. [5]
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
The sky will darken with a great noise,
and everything on earth will melt and burn. [6]
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
But we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth. [7]
3:15-18
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
All of Paul's epistles are hard to understand.
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
And some misinterpret them,
as they do the other scriptures,
to their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
So don't be led astray by wicked people.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Amen.
See note for 1:1.
The author of 2 Peter is aware of the failed expectations of early believers. Jesus, who was to come soon, didn't come at all. Many "scoffers" have begun to ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" He tries to cover for Jesus by claiming that "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years." It's been used ever since.
God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah and his family.
God will set the entire earth on fire so that he can burn non-believers to death.
When Jesus finally does come, the heavens will "pass away with a great noise" and the earth will "be burnt up."
