GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:61urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:61Simon Peter , bondman and apostle of Jesus Christ , to them that have received like precious faith with us through [ the ] righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ : Grace and peace be multiplied to you in [ the ] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord . As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness , through the knowledge of him that has called us by glory and virtue , through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises , that through these ye may become partakers of [ the ] divine nature , having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust . But for this very reason also , using therewith all diligence , in your faith have also virtue , in virtue knowledge , in knowledge temperance , in temperance endurance , in endurance godliness , in godliness brotherly love , in brotherly love love : for these things existing and abounding in you make [ you ] to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ; for he with whom these things are not present is blind , short-sighted , and has forgotten the purging of his former sins . Wherefore the rather , brethren , use diligence to make your calling and election sure , for doing these things ye will never fall ; for thus shall the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be richly furnished unto you . Wherefore I will be careful to put you always in mind of these things , although knowing [ them ] and established in the present truth . But I account it right , as long as I am in this tabernacle , to stir you up by putting [ you ] in remembrance , knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle is speedily [ to take place ] , as also our Lord Jesus Christ has manifested to me ; but I will use diligence , that after my departure ye should have also , at any time , [ in your power ] to call to mind these things . For we have not made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ , following cleverly imagined fables , but having been eyewitnesses of * his * majesty . For he received from God [ the ] Father honour and glory , such a voice being uttered to him by the excellent glory : This is my beloved Son , in whom * I * have found my delight ; and this voice * we * heard uttered from heaven , being with him on the holy mountain . And we have the prophetic word [ made ] surer , to which ye do well taking heed ( as to a lamp shining in an obscure place ) until [ the ] day dawn and [ the ] morning star arise in your hearts ; knowing this first , that [ the scope of ] no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation , for prophecy was not ever uttered by [ the ] will of man , but holy men of God spake under the power of [ the ] Holy Spirit . But there were false prophets also among the people , as there shall be also among you false teachers , who shall bring in by the bye destructive heresies , and deny the master that bought them , bringing upon themselves swift destruction ; and many shall follow their dissolute ways , through whom the way of the truth shall be blasphemed . And through covetousness , with well-turned words , will they make merchandise of you : for whom judgment of old is not idle , and their destruction slumbers not . For if God spared not [ the ] angels who had sinned , but having cast them down to the deepest pit of gloom has delivered them to chains of darkness [ to be ] kept for judgment ; and spared not [ the ] old world , but preserved Noe , [ the ] eighth , a preacher of righteousness , having brought in [ the ] flood upon [ the ] world of [ the ] ungodly ; and having reduced [ the ] cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to ashes , condemned [ them ] with an overthrow , setting [ them as ] an example to those that should [ afterwards ] live an ungodly life ; and saved righteous Lot , distressed with the abandoned conversation of the godless , ( for the righteous man through seeing and hearing , dwelling among them , tormented [ his ] righteous soul day after day with [ their ] lawless works , ) [ the ] Lord knows [ how ] to deliver the godly out of trial , and to keep [ the ] unjust to [ the ] day of judgment [ to be ] punished ; and specially those who walk after the flesh in [ the ] lust of uncleanness , and despise lordship . Bold [ are they ] , self-willed ; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities : when angels , who are greater in might and power , do not bring against them , before the Lord , an injurious charge . But these , as natural animals without reason , made to be caught and destroyed , speaking injuriously in things they are ignorant of , shall also perish in their own corruption , receiving [ the ] reward of unrighteousness ; accounting ephemeral indulgence pleasure ; spots and blemishes , rioting in their own deceits , feasting with you ; having eyes full of adultery , and that cease not from sin , alluring unestablished souls ; having a heart practised in covetousness , children of curse ; having left [ the ] straight way they have gone astray , having followed in the path of Balaam [ the son ] of Bosor , who loved [ the ] reward of unrighteousness ; but had reproof of his own wickedness -- [ the ] dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the folly of the prophet . These are springs without water , and mists driven by storm , to whom the gloom of darkness is reserved [ for ever ] . For [ while ] speaking great highflown words of vanity , they allure with [ the ] lusts of [ the ] flesh , by dissoluteness , those who have just fled those who walk in error , promising them liberty , while they themselves are slaves of corruption ; for by whom a man is subdued , by him is he also brought into slavery . For if after having escaped the pollutions of the world through [ the ] knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , again entangled , they are subdued by these , their last state is worse than the first . For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness , than having known [ it ] to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them . But that [ word ] of the true proverb has happened to them : [ The ] dog [ has ] turned back to his own vomit ; and , [ The ] washed sow to [ her ] rolling in mud . 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 , to be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets , and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles ; knowing this first , that there shall come at [ the ] close of the days mockers with mocking , walking according to their own lusts , 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 . 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 , through which [ waters ] the then world , deluged with water , perished . 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 . 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 . [ 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 . 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 . All these things then being to be dissolved , what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness , 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 ? But , according to his promise , we wait for new heavens and a new earth , wherein dwells righteousness . Wherefore , beloved , as ye wait for these things , be diligent to be found of him in peace , without spot and blameless ; 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 , 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 . * 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 : 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 .