2 Peter 3

2 Peter · Chapter 3

2 Peter 3:15

1This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,4And 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.5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:7But 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.8But, 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.9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,12Looking 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?13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; 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.17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Believers should regard the Lord's patience as salvation. Paul, whom Peter calls "our beloved brother," wrote to them in the same way with the wisdom given to him. Peter and Paul agree. 2 Peter 3:142 Peter 3:15

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 readers, who had also received letters from Paul. 2 Peter 3:152 Peter overview

Peter returns to God's patience (3:9) and appeals to Paul's letters for support. 2 Peter 3:92 Peter 3:15

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 eventsThe verse gives no date of its own. Peter writes near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

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 shows that the apostles teach the same thing about God's patience. 2 Peter 3:15

In the whole of ScripturePeter has said the Lord "is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish" (3:9). Paul wrote that "the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance" (Romans 2:4), and that Christ showed "all longsuffering" in saving him (1 Timothy 1:16). Peter wrote that "the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah" (1 Peter 3:20). 2 Peter 3:9Romans 2:41 Timothy 1:161 Peter 3:20

For readersEvery day God waits is an opportunity for salvation. 2 Peter 3:15Romans 2:4

  • longsufferingμακροθυμία
    Greek · makrothumia · G3115

    The word means patience, forbearance. The lexicon lists Colossians 1:11 and 2 Timothy 3:10 among its uses. Strong's G3115

  • salvationσωτηρία
    Greek · sōtēria · G4991

    The word means salvation, deliverance. Strong's G4991

  • PaulΠαῦλος
    Greek · Paulos · G3972G

    The name Paul. The lexicon lists Romans 1:1 and 1 Corinthians 1:1 among its uses. Strong's G3972G

  • wisdomσοφία
    Greek · sophia · G4678

    The word means wisdom. Strong's G4678

Takeaway

Count the Lord's patience as salvation, as Paul also wrote with God-given wisdom. 2 Peter 3:152 Peter 3:9

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

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
AndκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (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. …

LordκυρίουkuriouG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma …

of usἡμῶνhēmōnG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

patienceμακροθυμίανmakrothumianG3115
patience

μακροθυμία (makrothumia) μακροθυμία, -ας, ἡ (μακρό-θυμος), [in LXX: Pro.25:15 (אַף אֹרֶךְ), Jer.15:15 (אַף אָרֵךְ) Isa.57:15, Sir.5:11, 1Ma.8:4 * ;], patience, longsuffering: of men, esp. in experiencing troubles and difficulties, Col.1:11, 2Ti.3:10, Heb.6:12, Jas.5:10; of God's forbearance, Rom.2:4 9:22, 2Co.6:6, Gal.5:22, Eph.4:2, Col.3:12, 1Ti.1:16, 2Ti.4:2, 1Pe.3:20, 2Pe.3:15.† SYN.: ὑπομονή (cf. Lft., Col., 138; Tr., Syn., liii) (AS)

[as] salvationσωτηρίανsōtērianG4991
salvation

σωτηρία (sōtēria) σωτηρία, -ας, ἡ (σωτήρ), [in LXX for יֶשַׁע, יְשׁוּעָה, תְּשׁוּעָה, פְּלֵיטָה, etc. ;] deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety (Lat. salus): Act.7:25 27:34, Heb.11:7; ἐξ ἐχθρῶν, Luk.1:71. In NT esp. of Messianic and spiritual salvation (see: σώζω): Luk.19:9, Jhn.4:22, Act.4:12 13:47, Rom.11:11, 2Th.2:13, 2Ti.3:15, Heb.2:3 6:9, 2Pe.3:15, Ju 3; opposite to ἀπηώλεια, Php.1:28; αἰώνιος-., Heb.5:9; ὁ λόγος (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) τῆς σ., Act.13:26, Eph.1:13; ὁδὸς σωτηρίας, Act.16:17; κέρας σωτηρίας, Luk.1:69; ἡμέρα σωτηρίας, 2Co.6:2 (LXX); κατεργάζεσθαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σ., Php.2:12; κληρονομεῖν σ., Heb.1: …

do esteem,ἡγεῖσθε,hēgeistheG2233
to govern

ἡγέομαι (hēgeomai) ἡγέομαι, -οῦμαι depon. mid., [in LXX (chiefly Pres. ptcp.) for נָגִיד, רֹאשׁ, שַׂר, etc. ;] 1. to lead; (a) to guide, go before; (b) to rule, be leader: present ptcp., ἡγούενος, a ruler, leader (MM, Exp., xiv), Mat.2:6 (LXX), Luk.22:26, Act.7:10 14:12 15:22, Heb.13:7, 17 13:24. …

even asκαθὼςkathōsG2531
as/just as

καθώς (kathōs) καθώς, (i.e. καθ᾽ ὡς), Hellenistic for καθά, which see, καθάπερ, καθό, καθότι (Mayser, 485; Eutherford, NPhr., 495; Bl., §78, 1), according as, even as, just as, as: Luk.1:2 (see: καθά), 24:39, Jhn.5:23, Act.7:48, 1Co.8:2, Gal.3:6, al.; before οὕτως, Luk.11:30, Jhn.3:14, 2Co.1:5, Col.3:13, 1Jn.2:6, al.; before καί, Jhn.15:9, 1Co.15:49, 1Jn.2:18, al.; οὕτως . . . κ., Luk.24:24; id. with ellipsis of οὕτως, Mat.21:6, Mrk.16:7, Rom.1:13, al.; with other elliptical constructions, Jhn.6:58 17:21, 22 Act.15:8, 1Th.2:13, 1Ti.1:3, 1Jn.3:2, 3 12; καθὼς γέγραπται (Deiss., BS, 249), Mat.26:24, Mrk.9:13, …

alsoκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (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. …

belovedἀγαπητὸςagapētosG0027
beloved

ἀγαπητός (agapētos) ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν (ἀγαπάω), [in LXX chiefly for יָתִיד, יָדִיד ;] beloved (see M, Pr., 221); (a) by God: of Christ, Mat.3:17; of men, Rom.1:7; (b) by Christians, of one another: 1Co.4:14; frequently as form of address, ib. 10:14; opposite to ἐχθρός, Rom.11:28 (see AR, Eph., 229; Cremer, 17; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

of usἡμῶνhēmōnG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

brotherἀδελφὸςadelphosG0080
brother

ἀδελφός (adelphos) ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb), in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102f.), for אָח ;] 1. lit. of a brother (Gen.4:2, al.). 2. Of a neighbour (Lev.19:17). 3. Of a member of the same nation (Exo.2:14, Deu.15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mat.1:2, al.; 2. Mat.7:3; 3. Rom.9:3) and also, …

PaulΠαῦλοςPaulosG3972G
Paul

Παῦλος (Paulos) Παῦλος, -ου, ὁ (Lat. Paulus), 1. Sergius Paulus: Act.13:7. 2. the Apostle Paul (cf. Σαῦλος): Act.13:9, and frequently throughout Ac., Rom.1:1, 1Co.1:1, al., 2Pe.3:15. (AS)

according toκατὰkataG2596
according to

κατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; …

having been givenδοθεῖσανdotheisanG1325
to give

δίδωμι (didōmi) δίδωμι, [in LXX chiefly for נָתַן (53 words in all) ;] to give—in various senses, accusative to context—bestow, grant, supply, deliver, commit, yield: absol., Act.20:35; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.4:9 5:31, Jhn.1:12, al. mult.; with dative of person(s), before ἐκ, Mat.25:8; id. with genitive part.. Rev.2:17; with accusative of person(s), Jhn.3:16, Rev.20:13, al.; δεξιάς, Gal.2:9; φίλημα, Luk.7:45; γνῶσιν, Luk.1:77; κρίσιν, Jhn.5:22; of seed yielding fruit, Mrk.4:7, 8; ἐργασίαν (Deiss., LAE, 117f.), Luk.12:58; with inf. fin., Mat.27:34, Mrk.5:43, Luk.8:55, Jhn.6: …

to himαὐτῷautōG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

wisdomσοφίανsophianG4678
wisdom

σοφία (sophia) σοφία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for חׇכְמָה ;] skill, intelligence, wisdom, ranging from knowledge of the arts and matters of daily life to mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense; (a) of human wisdom: 1Co.2:1 2:4-5, Jas.3:15, Rev.13:18 17:9; σ. Σολομῶνος, Mat.12:42, Luk.11:31; Αἰγυπτίων, Act.7:22; Ἕλληνες σ. ζητοῦσιν, 1Co.1:22; σ. λόγου, 1Co.1:17; τ. σοφῶν, 1Co.1:19 (LXX); τ. κόσμου, 1Co.1:20-21 3:19; ἀνθρωπίνη, 1Co.2:13; σαρκική, 2Co.1:12; …

wroteἔγραψενegrapsenG1125
to write

γράφω (graphō) γράφω, [in LXX chiefly for כּתב ]; 1. to scrape, graze (Hom.), and later (Hdt.) to sketch, draw. 2. to write; (a) of forming or tracing letters on writing material: Jhn.8:[6], Gal.6:11, 2Th.3:17; (b) to express in writing, commit to writing, record: Luk.1:63, Jhn.19:21, 22 Rev.1:11, 19 al.; of scripture as a standing authority (Deiss., BS, 112ff.), γέγραπται, it stands written (Luther), Mat.4:4, Mrk.7:6, Luk.4:8, Rom.1:17, 1Co.1:31, al.; id. before ἐν, Mrk.1:2, Act.1:20, al.; with accusative, to write of: Jhn.1:46, Rom.10:5; before περί, Mat.26:24, Mrk.14:21, Jhn.5:46; al.; with dative (WM …

to you,ὑμῖν,huminG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.