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¹ ThisThe remedy against those wicked enemies, both of true doctrine and holiness, is to be sought for by the continual meditation of the writings of the prophets and apostles.second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

² To call to remembrance the wordes, which were tolde before of the holy Prophetes, and also the commaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lord and Sauiour.

³ He vouches the second coming of Christ against the Epicureans by name.Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last daysMonstrous men, who will seem wise by their contempt of God, and wicked boldness.scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

⁴ The reason that these mockers pretend that the course of nature is as it was from the beginning, therefore the world was from everlasting, and shall be forever.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 He sets against them the creation of heaven and earth by the word of God, which these men are willingly ignorant of.For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and theWhich appeared, when the waters were gathered together into one place.earth standing out of the water and in the water:

⁶ Secondly he sets against them the universal flood, which was the destruction of the whole world.Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed withFor the waters returning into their former place, this world, that is to say, this beauty of the earth which we see, and all living creatures which live upon the earth, perished.water, perished:

⁷ Thirdly, he pronounces that it will not be harder for God to burn heaven and earth with fire, in that day which is appointed for the destruction of the wicked (which he will also do) than it was for him in times past to create them only with his word, and afterward to overwhelm them with water.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 The taking away of an objection: in that he seems to desire this judgment for a long time, in respect of us it is true, but not before God, which whom there is no time either long or short.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.

⁹ The Lord will surely come, because he has promised: and neither sooner nor later than he has promised.The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;A reason why the last day does not come too soon, because God patiently waits until all the elect are brought to repentance, that none of them may perish.but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰ A very short description of the last destruction of the world, but in such sort as nothing could be spoken more gravely.But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a greatWith the violence of a storm.noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

¹¹ An exhortation to purity of life, setting before us that horrible judgment of God, both to bridle our wantonness, and also to comfort us, so that we are found watching and ready to meet him at his coming.[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 andHe requires patience from us, yet such patience as is not slothful.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?

¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,In which heavens.wherein dwelleth righteousness.

¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him inthat you may try to your benefit, how gently and profitable he is.peace, without spot, and blameless.

¹⁵ And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation;Paul's epistles are allowed by the express testimony of Peter.even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

¹⁶ As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things;There are some things that are obscure and dark which the ignorant use to overthrow men who are not established, wrestling the testimony of the scripture for their own destruction. But this is the remedy against such deceit, to labour that we may daily more and more grow up and increase in the knowledge of Christ.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.

¹⁷ Ye therefore beloued, seeing ye know these thinges before, beware, lest ye be also plucked away with the errour of the wicked, and fall from your owne stedfastnesse.

¹⁸ But growe in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to him be glory both now and for euermore. Amen.