2 Peter 3:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Looking for and 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? | as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. | looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedBelievers look for and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the elements will melt in the heat. They long for that day rather than dread it. 2 Peter 3:112 Peter 3:12
SpeakingSimon Peter, "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ," who saw Christ's majesty on the holy mount. 2 Peter overview
To"Them that have obtained like precious faith"; traditionally the same believers as 1 Peter, in Asia Minor. 2 Peter overview
Also involvedThe believers, who are waiting for the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12
This continues the question of 3:11 and repeats the picture of 3:10. 2 Peter 3:102 Peter 3:112 Peter 3:12
The letter names no place. If the readers are those of 1 Peter, they were in Asia Minor; tradition places Peter in Rome at the end of his life. 2 Peter overview
The events"The coming of the day of God," still future. 2 Peter 3:12
WrittenTraditional: about AD 64-68, shortly before Peter's death. Scholarly: many hold a follower wrote it in Peter's name, perhaps AD 100-150; others accept that Peter wrote it near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview
HerePeter teaches believers to wait eagerly and actively for the Lord's day. 2 Peter 3:12
In the whole of ScriptureBelievers are "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing" (Titus 2:13), "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:7). "The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (Isaiah 34:4). "Our God shall come ... a fire shall devour before him" (Psalms 50:3). Titus 2:131 Corinthians 1:7Isaiah 34:4Psalms 50:3
For readersBelievers look for and hasten unto the day of God, in "holy conversation and godliness" (3:11). Titus 2:13 likewise speaks of "Looking for that blessed hope." 2 Peter 3:112 Peter 3:12Titus 2:13
- Looking forπροσδοκάω
The word means to look for, to wait for, to expect. Strong's G4328
- hastingσπεύδω
The word means to hurry, to hasten; also to be eager. Strong's G4692
- on fireπυρόω
The word means to burn, to be set on fire. Strong's G4448
- meltτήκω
The word means to melt. The lexicon lists this verse as its only New Testament use. Strong's G5080
Takeaway
Look for and hasten the day of God, when the heavens will burn and the elements melt. 2 Peter 3:12Titus 2:13
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| expecting | προσδοκῶντας | prosdokōntas | G4328 | to look forπροσδοκάω (prosdokaō) προσ-δοκάω, -ῶ (the simple verb exists only in the forms δοκέω, -εύω) [in LXX: Psa.104:27 (שָׂבַר pi.), etc. ;] to await, expect: Mat.24:50, Luk.3:15 12:46, Act.27:33 28:6; with accusative of person(s), Mat.11:3, Luk.1:21 7:19-20 8:40 Act.10:24; with accusative of thing(s), 2Pe.3:12-14; with accusative and inf., Act.28:6; with inf., Act.3:5.† (AS) |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| hastening | σπεύδοντας | speudontas | G4692 | to hastenσπεύδω (speudō) σπεύδω [in LXX chiefly for מָהַר pi., also for בָּהַל pi., hi., etc. ;] 1. most frequently intrans., to hasten: with inf. (as frequently in cl.), Act.20:16; ptcp. with indic., Luk.2:16; with imperat., Luk.19:5-6; σπεῦσον κ. ἔξελθε, Act.22:18 2. Trans., with accusative; (a) to hasten, urge on, accelerate (as Hom., Od., xix, 137; Eur., Med., 152; Sir.33:8 (Sir.36:8): 2Pe.3:12, R, mg. (cf. Mayor and ICC, in l, but see infr.); (b) to desire eagerly (find., Pyth., iii, 110; Eur., Suppl., 161; Isa 165): 2Pe, l.with, R, txt. (but see supr.).† (AS) |
| coming | παρουσίαν | parousian | G3952 | comingπαρουσία (parousia) παρ-ουσία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX: Neh.2:6 A, Jdth.10:18, 2Ma.8:12 2Mac 15:21, 3Ma.3:17 * ;] 1. usually in cl., a being present, presence: 1Co.16:17, 2Co.10:10; opposite to ἀπουσία, Php.2:12 (cf. 2Ma.15:21). … |
| of God | θεοῦ | theou | G2316 | Godθεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; … |
| day, | ἡμέρας, | hēmeras | G2250 | dayἡμέρα (hēmera) ἡμέρα, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly (very freq.) for יוֹם ;] day; 1. as distinct from night: genitive ἡμέρας, by day (WM, §30, 11), Rev.21:25; ἡ. κ. νυκτός (ν. κ. ̔ἡ.), Act.9:24, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8, Rev.4:8 (BL, §36, 13); ἡμέρας μέσης, at mid-day, Act.26:13; accusative durat., τ. ἡμέρας, Luk.21:37; ὅλην τὴν ἡ., Rom.8:36; ἐν ἡμέρα, Jhn.11:9, Rom.13:13; ἡμέρας ὁδός, a day's journey, Luk.2:44; ἡ. γίνεται, Lk 4:42 22:66; κλίνει, Luk.9:12, al.; metaphorically, Jhn.9:4, Rom.13:12, 1Th.5:4, 5 8, 2Pe.1:19. … |
| through | δι᾽ | di᾽ | G1223 | through/because ofδιά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; … |
| which | ἣν | hēn | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| [the] heavens | οὐρανοὶ | ouranoi | G3772 | heavenοὐρανός (ouranos) οὐρανός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for שָׁמַיִם (hence, often pl., οἱ οὐ., see infr.) ;] heaven; 1. of the vault or firmament of heaven, the sky and the aerial regions above the earth: opposite to ἡ γῆ, Heb.1:10, 2Pe.3:5, 10; ὁ οὐ. καὶ ἡ γῆ, i.e. the world, the universe, Mat.5:18, Mrk.13:31, Luk.10:21, Act.4:24, Rev.10:6, al.; ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων οὐ. ἕως ἄ. αὐτῶν (on the absence of art. aft. prep., see Bl, §46, 5), Mat.24:31; ὑπὸ τὸν οὐ., Act.2:5, Col.1:23; ὑψωθῆναι ἕως τοῦ οὐ., figuratively, Mat.11:23, Luk.10:15; σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐ., Mat.16:1, Mrk.8:11, al.; αἱ νεφέλαι, Mat.24:30, al.; τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ ο … |
| being set on fire | πυρούμενοι | puroumenoi | G4448 | to burnπυρόω (puroō) πυρόω, -ῶ (πῦρ) [in LXX chiefly for צָרַף ;] to set on fire, burn up. In NT always pass., 1. to be set on fire, to burn: Eph.6:16, 2Pe.3:12; ptcp., glowing, Rev.1:15. Metaphorical, of grief or indignation, 2Co.11:29; of lust, 1Co.7:9. 2. Of metals (cf. Job.22:25, Psa.12:7, Zec.13:9), to be refined or purified by fire: Rev.3:18 (and so in RV, Rev.1:15, but see supr.).† (AS) |
| will be dissolved | λυθήσονται | luthēsontai | G3089 | to looseλύω (luō) λύω [in LXX for פָּתַח, נָתַר hi., etc. ;] 1. to loose, unbind, release: of things, Mrk.1:7, Luk.3:16, al.; of beasts, Mat.21:2, Luk.13:15, al.; of persons, Jhn.11:44, Act.22:30; of Satan, Rev.20:3, 7; metaphorically, of the marriage tie, 1Co.7:27; of one diseased, Luk.13:16; of release from sin, Rev.1:5, WH, R, txt. (see: λούω). … |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| [the] elements | στοιχεῖα | stoicheia | G4747 | principleστοιχεῖον (stoicheion) στοιχεῖον, -ου, τό [in LXX: Wis.7:17 19:18, 4Ma.12:13 * ;] prop., one of a row (στοῖχος) or series, hence, 1. the shadow-line of a dial (Aristoph.). 2. an elementary sound or letter of the alphabet (Anth., Plut., π.). 3. the elements or rudiments of knowledge (Arist., al.) Heb.5:12; πτωχὰ σ., Gal.4:9; σ. τοῦ κόσμου, Gal.4:3, Col.2:8, 20 (but see infr.). 4. The material elements of the universe (Plat.; LXX, ll. with): 2Pe.3:10 3:12. 5. The heavenly bodies (Ding. Laert.). … |
| burning with heat | καυσούμενα | kausoumena | G2741 | to burnκαυσόω (kausoō) καυσόω, -ῶ (καῦσος, burning heat, fever), only in pass., 1. to burn with fever (Galen., al.). 2. In NT, to burn with great heat: 2Pe.3:10 3:12 (V. Mayor, in l).† (AS) |
| are melting? | τήκεται; | tēketai | G5080 | to meltτήκω (tēkō) τήκω [in LXX for מָסַס ni., מָקַק ni., מוּג ni., etc. ;] trans., to melt, melt down; pass., to melt, melt away: 2Pe.3:12.† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.