3Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.G5026G1208G1992G27G1125G2235G1125G5213G1722G3739G1326G5216G1506G1271G1722G52802I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.G3415G4487G4280G5259G40G4396G2532G1785G2257G652G2962G2532G49903First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.G1097G5124G4412G3754G2064G1909G2078G2250G1703G4198G2596G846G2398G19394They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."G2532G3004G4226G2076G1860G846G3952G1063G575G3739G3962G2837G3956G3779G1265G575G746G29375But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.G1063G5124G846G2309G2990G3754G3056G2316G3772G2258G1597G2532G1093G4921G1537G5204G2532G1223G52046By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.G1223G3739G2889G5119G2626G5204G6227By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.G1161G3772G2532G1093G3568G846G3056G1526G2343G5083G4442G1519G2250G2920G2532G684G765G4448But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.G1161G27G2990G3361G5209G2990G1520G5124G3754G3391G2250G3844G2962G5613G5507G2094G2532G5507G2094G5613G3391G22509The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.G2962G1019G3756G1019G1860G5613G5100G2233G1022G235G3114G1519G2248G3361G1014G5100G622G235G3956G5562G1519G334110But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.G1161G2250G2962G2240G5613G2812G1722G3571G1722G3739G3772G3928G4500G1161G4747G3089G2741G1093G2532G2532G2041G1722G846G261811Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly livesG3767G3956G5130G3089G4217G1163G5209G5225G1722G40G391G2532G215012as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.G4328G2532G4692G3952G2250G2316G1223G3739G3772G4448G3089G2532G4747G5080G274113But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.G1161G4328G2596G846G1862G4328G2537G3772G2532G2537G1093G1722G3739G2730G134314So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.G1352G27G4328G5023G4704G2147G846G1722G1515G784G2532G29815Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.G2532G2233G3115G2257G2962G4991G2531G2257G27G80G3972G2532G2596G4678G1325G846G1125G521316He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.G5613G2532G1722G3956G1992G2980G1722G846G4012G5130G1722G3739G2076G5100G1425G3739G261G2532G793G4761G5613G2532G3062G1124G4314G846G2398G68417Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.G5210G3767G27G4267G5442G3363G1601G4879G4106G113G1601G2398G474018But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.G1161G837G1722G5485G2532G1108G2257G2962G2532G4990G2424G5547G846G1391G2532G3568G2532G1519G165G2250G281