Second Epistle of St. Peter

Simōn Petros, (the) servant and (the) apostle of Jesus Christ, to them who are equal in honour with us in (the) faith, which was allotted to us in the righteousness of our God and our saviour Jesus Christ our Lord:

(the) grace and the peace may they be multiplied to you, In (the) knowledge of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ:

since all things became ours (lit. to us) in the power of his deity, (tending) towards (the) life, and [the] godliness, which was given to us freely, through (the) knowledge of him who called us into his glory and [the] virtue;

and through these great (and) precious glories which were given to us as gifts, that through these ye might become sharers of (the) nature of the deity, escaping from the lust of (the) corruption which is in the world.

And in this, bringing in all diligence, supply [the] virtue in your faith: in [the] virtue, [the] knowledge:

in [the] knowledge, [the] temperance: in [the] temperance, [the] patience: in [the] patience, [the] godliness:

in [the] godliness, [the] brotherly love: in [the] brotherly love, [the] love.

But all these being yours (lit. to you), and abounding in you, they will not make you idle and unfruitful towards (the) knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He to whom these things are not is blind, feeling (his way), having taken a forgetfulness of (the) cleansing of his former sins.

Therefore rather, our brethren, hasten yourselves that through [the] good works ye may confirm your calling and your election: for doing these things ye shall never stumble.

For thus richly the entering shall be supplied to you of (the) eternal kingdom of our Lord and our saviour Jesus Christ.

Therefore I shall (lit. will) remind you always concerning these things, although ye know, and ye are confirmed in the truth which is.

For I think that it is a righteous work, this which I think, that as long as I am in this dwelling-place I shall stir in you a remembrance;

knowing that this dwelling-place will be dissolved quickly, according as also our Lord Jesus Christ showed to us.

But I shall (lit. will) hasten myself always, that ye may remember these things after my departure.

It was not crafty fables which we walked after, (when) we showed to you (the) power and (the) coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of the greatness of that (one):

he received [an] honour and [a] glory from the Father; and a voice came to him of this kind by the exceeding great glory: 'This is my Son, my beloved, this for whom I was well pleased.'

And this voice we heard, coining from (the) heaven, being with him on the holy mountain.

And the word of the prophets is for us firm, this to which ye do well to attend (lit. observing), as a lamp shining in a place of darkness, until is manifested the day, and the light ariseth and breaketh forth in your hearts.

But first knowing this, that all prophecies of the Scriptures--their explanation was being made not for themselves alone.

For neither by (the) wish of man was a prophecy brought at a time, but men spake by (the) wish of God in the holy spirit.

There were false prophets also among the people, as also false teachers will be among you; they who will bring in a heresy of perdition, and denying (the) lord who bought them, bringing to themselves a quick perdition.

And many shall draw after their defilements; and through them (the) way of the truth shall be blasphemed.

And in wrongdoings with feigned word they shall make trade of you: they whose judgement from (the) beginning is not done away, and their perdition will not slumber.

If God spared not the angels who sinned, but in bonds of gloom in the Tartaros gave them to be kept for (the) judgement and to be punished.

And the ancient world he spared not, but Nōe the eighth herald of [the] righteousness he kept, he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

and the cities also Sodoma and Gomorra he burnt, he condemned, and he set them for an example of the ungodly who will be;

and the righteous Lot he saved, being injured by their evil example of their defiling walk (of life);

for in [a] viewing and [a] hearing the righteous (man) was dwelling among them day by day, and they were paining a soul of a righteous (man) in lawless works.

For the Lord knoweth (how) to save the godly from the temptations, But the unjust he shall keep for (the) day of (the) judgement to punish them.

Much more those who walk after (the) flesh in defiling lusts and despising [the] dominion; daring [the] stubbornness, they tremble not before the glories, blaspheming;

instead of which the angels being great in [a] might and [a] power bring not a blaspheming judgement against them.

But these indeed (pron.) are like to speechless beasts, being natural (things) for (the) destruction and (the) extermination; blaspheming in these things which they know not, in their destruction they shall be destroyed;

and they shall receive (the) reward of their wrongdoing, making [the] delight which is in the day (a) pleasure, being as spot and for a stain, delighting in their deceits, and delighting with you, (they) being shepherds to them(selves);

having eyes full of adultery, and an unceasingness of (the) sin, bringing to themselves [a] quick perdition; there are many (who) will follow their sins. Deceiving souls which are not firm; having a heart exercised in [a] wrongdoing; being children of (the) curse;

having left the straight road, they went astray, having walked in (the) road of Balaam he of Bosor, he who loved (the) reward of (the) iniquity;

he received a reproof of his lawlessness, a speechless ass answered with a voice of man, she prevented (the) foolishness of the prophet.

These are the fountains waterless, and mists driven along by a tempest; these for whom was kept (the) darkness of (the) blackness.

Uttering [in] exalted vanities, being servants in evil lusts of (the) flesh (to) them who escaped a little, and they walked in an error;

promising to them a freedom, being servants themselves of (the) corruption; for he by whom any one is conquered, he is servant to him.

For if having escaped from the defilement of the world into (the) knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, [but] they again are entangled among these, they will be conquered, and their last (states) will be worse for them than the first (states).

For it is good for them (if) they knew not (the) way of [the] righteousness, than having known it, that they should return from the holy commandment which was delivered to them.

For the proverb came true about them: 'A dog turned to his own vomit; and a sow (which) was washed, again rolled in her mire' (plur.).

My beloved, this now is (the) second epistle which I write to you; these in which I shall raise (up) your sincere heart

to remember in a remembrance the words which the holy prophets said from (the) first, and the commandment of the apostles of our Lord and our saviour.

But know this first, that in the last days mockers shall come walking according to their lusts,

and saying: Where was the promise of his coming? For since our fathers slept all these things remain thus since (the) beginning of the creation.'

For they are ignorant of the thing. This (ignorance) is that which they also wish, (ignorance) that the heavens exist from (the) beginning, and (the) earth from [a] water and through [a] water stood by (the) word of God;

these (sc. waters) because of which the world of that time was submerged in [a] water and it perished;

but the present heavens and the earth in the same word are treasured up for (the) fire, being kept unto (the) day-of the judgement, and (the) perdition of the ungodly men.

But of this be not forgetful, my beloved; that one day with the Lord (is) as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

And the Lord will not delay about the promise, as some think that he will delay; but was a Lit.' thrown into.' longsuffering to you, not wishing that any should perish, but wishing that all should come to [a.] repentance.

But (the) day of the Lord shall come as a thief: this (day) through which the heavens will pass away violently: the elements will be burned, they will be dissolved; and (the) earth and the works which are in it shall be burned.

All these things, then, being about to be dissolved, in what manner was it being meet that ye should walk in holy walks (of life) and godlinesses.

Gazing out in [an] haste forward to the day of the coming of the Lord, that through which the heavens will be burned and come to an end, and the elements will be burned and be dissolved.

New heavens and a new earth according to his promises we look out for; these in which the righteousness dwelleth.

Therefore, my beloved, (since) we are gazing out forward to these, hasten yourselves to be found without spot with him, and without stain before him in [a] peace.

And the longsuffering of the Lord reckon it to you for [a] salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom which was given to him, wrote to you:

as also in all his epistles, speaking in them concerning these (things); these in which some (things) are difficult to know (what they mean); these which the foolish and they who are not firm, distort as (the) rest of the Scriptures; who will draw themselves to their own perditions.

Ye, then, my brethren, foreknowing, keep yourselves, lest by any means ye go astray in (the) error of the foolish, and fall from your own firmness.

But grow in [the] grace and (the) knowledge of our Lord and our saviour Jesus Christ, whose is the glory from now and unto age of the ages. Amen.