Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
New International Version NIV
1 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I've written you; in both, I awaken your pure understanding with a reminder,
1
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
2 so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets, and the commandment of our Lord and Savior [given] through your apostles.
2
I 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.
3 First, be aware of this: scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, following their own lusts,
3
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation."
4
They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
5 They willfully ignore this: long ago the heavens and the earth existed out of water and through water by the word of God.
5
But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
6 Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded by water.
6
By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.