2 Peter 3:7
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | But 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. | And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. | but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedBy the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire. They are kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. The word that flooded the world now holds it for fire. 2 Peter 3:62 Peter 3:7
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 present heavens and earth, and ungodly people. 2 Peter 3:7
Peter continues his answer (3:5-7): the heavens and earth which are now are "reserved unto fire against the day of judgment." 2 Peter 3:52 Peter 3:62 Peter 3:7
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 eventsAt "the day of judgment," still future. 2 Peter 3:7
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 answers the scoffers: judgment is not cancelled, only reserved. 2 Peter 3:42 Peter 3:7
In the whole of ScripturePeter describes it in 3:10: "the elements shall melt with fervent heat." Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). Paul says the Lord will be revealed "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God" (2 Thessalonians 1:8). 2 Peter 3:10Matthew 24:352 Thessalonians 1:8
For readersThe present world will not last forever. God's word keeps it until judgment day. 2 Peter 3:7Matthew 24:35
- kept in storeθησαυρίζω
The word means to store up, to treasure up. The lexicon lists Romans 2:5 among its uses. Strong's G2343
- fireπῦρ
The word means fire. Strong's G4442
- reservedτηρέω
The word means to keep, to guard. Strong's G5083H
- perditionἀπώλεια
The word means destruction, ruin. Strong's G0684
- ungodlyἀσεβής
The word means ungodly. Strong's G0765
Takeaway
The present heavens and earth are kept by God's word for fire on the day of judgment. 2 Peter 3:72 Peter 3:10
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| But | δὲ | de | G1161 | thenδέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; … |
| now | νῦν | nun | G3568 | nowνῦν (nun) νῦν, adv., [in LXX chiefly for עַתָּה ;] 1. prop., of time, now, i.e. at the present time: as opposite to past, Jhn.4:18, Act.7:52, Rom.13:11, 2Co.7:9, Col.1:24, al.; opposite to fut., Jhn.12:27, Rom.11:31, al.; with art., ὁ (ἡ, τὸ) and subst., the present: Rom.3:26, Gal.4:25, 1Ti.6:17, Tit.2:12, al.; απὸ τοῦ ν. (LXX for מֵעַתָּה), Luk.1:48, Act.18:6, al.; ἄχρι τοῦ ν., Rom.8:22, Php.1:5; ἕως τοῦ ν. (LXX for עַד עַתָּה), Mat.24:21, Mrk.13:19; τὰ ν., as regards the present, Act.5:38; with pret., just now, but now, Mat.26:65, Jhn.11:8 21:10; with fut., now, presently, Jhn.12:31, Act.20:22; so w … |
| [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 … |
| 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. … |
| earth | γῆ | gē | G1093G | earth: planetγῆ (gē) γῆ, γῆς, ἡ, [in LXX for אֲדָמָה ,אֶרֶץ, etc. ;] 1. the earth, world: Luk.21:35, Act.1:8, Heb.11:13, Rev.3:10, al.; opposite to οὐρανός, Mat.5:18 11:25, Mrk.13:27, al. 2. land; (a) opposite to sea or water: Mrk.4:1, Luk.5:3, Jhn.6:21, al.; (b) as subject to cultivation: Mat.13:5, Mrk.4:8, Luk.13:7, Heb.6:7, al.; (with) the ground: Mat.10:29, Mrk.8:6, Luk.24:5, Jhn.8:6, al.; (d) a region, country: Luk.4:25, Rom.9:28, Jas.5:17; γῆ Ἰσραήλ, Mat.2:20, 21; Χαλδαίων, Act.7:4; ἡ Ἰουδαία γῆ, Jhn.3:22; with genitive of person(s), Act.7:3. (AS) |
| same | αὐτῷ | autō | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (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; … |
| word | λόγῳ | logō | G3056 | wordλόγος (logos) λόγος, -ου, ὁ (λέγω) [in LXX chiefly for דָּבָר, also for מִלָּה ,אֵמֶר, etc. ;] I. Of that by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio, sermo, vox, verbum. 1. a word, not in the grammatical sense of a mere name (ἔπος, ὄνομα, ῥῆμα), but a word as embodying a conception or idea: Mat.8:8, Luk.7:7, 1Co.14:9, 19 Heb.12:19, al. … |
| stored up | τεθησαυρισμένοι | tethēsaurismenoi | G2343 | to store upθησαυρίζω (thēsaurizō) θησαυρίζω [in LXX for צָפַן, etc. ;] to lay up, store up: of riches, Jas.5:3; id. with dative of person(s), Luk.12:21, 2Co.12:14; with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.16:2; θησαυροὺς ἑαυτῷ, Mat.6:19-20; pass., 2Pe.3:7; metaphorically, ὀργὴν ἑαντῷ, Rom.2:5 (cf. Pro.1:18, Pss. Pss.Sol 9:9).† (AS) |
| they are | εἰσὶν | eisin | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| for fire | πυρὶ | puri | G4442 | fireπῦρ (pur) πῦρ genitive, πυρός, τό, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for אֵשׁ ;] fire: Mrk.9:22, Luk.3:9, Jhn.15:6, Act.2:10, 1Co.3:13, Jas.3:5, Rev.8:5, al; π. καὶ θεῖον, Luk.17:29; κατακαίειν (ἐν) π., Mat.13:40, Rev.17:16 18:8; καίεσθαι πυρί, Heb.12:18, Rev.8:8 21:8; φλὸξ πυρός, Act.7:30, 2Th.1:8, Heb.1:7, Rev.1:14 2:18 19:12; λαμπάδες πυρός, Rev.4:5; στῦλοι πυρός, Rev.10:1; ἄνθρακες πυρός, Rom.12:20 (LXX); γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, Act.2:3; δοκιμάζειν (πυροῦσθαι) διὰ πυρός, 1Pe.1:7, Rev.3:18; ὡς διὰ. π. (Lft., Notes, 193), 1Co.3:15. Of the fire of hell (cf. Dalman, Words,161): Mrk.9:48 (LXX); τὸ π. τὸ … |
| being kept | τηρούμενοι | tēroumenoi | G5083H | to keep: observeτηρέω (tēreō) τηρέω, -ῶ [in LXX for שָׁמַר, נָצַר, etc. ;] 1. to watch over, guard, keep, preserve: Mat.27:36, Act.16:23, al.; ἑαυτόν, 2Co.11:9, 1Ti.5:22, Jas.1:27, Ju 21; before εἰς, Jhn.12:7, Act.25:21, 1Pe.1:4, 2Pe.2:4 2:9 3:7, Ju 6; ἐν, Jhn.17:11-12, Ju 21; ἐκ, Jhn.17:15, Rev.3:10; τ. πίστιν, 2Ti.4:7, Rev.14:12; τ. ἑνότητα τ. πνεύματος, Eph.4:3. … |
| unto | εἰς | eis | G1519 | towardεἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; … |
| [the] day | ἡμέραν | hēmeran | 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. … |
| of judgment | κρίσεως | kriseōs | G2920 | judgmentκρίσις (krisis) κρίσις, -εως, ἡ (κρίνω), [in LXX chiefly for מִשְׁפָּט, also for רִיב, etc. ;] 1. a seperating, selection (Arist., al.) 2. a decision, judgment (cl.): Jhn.8:16, 1Ti.5:24, 2Pe.2:11, Ju 9; κ. κρίνειν, Jhn.7:24; in forensic sense, Act.8:33 (LXX) (see Page, in l); esp. of the Divine judgment, Jhn.3:19 5:24, 27 5:29-30 12:31 16:8, 11, 2Th.1:5, Heb.10:27, Jas.2:13 5:12, 2Pe.2:4, Rev.18:10; pl., Rev.16:7 19:2; of the last judgment, Mat.10:15 11:22, 24 12:36, 41-42 Luk.10:14 11:31-32, Heb.9:27, 2Pe.2:9 3:7, 1Jn.4:17, Ju 6 15; τῆς γεέννης, Mat.23:33. … |
| 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. … |
| destruction | ἀπωλείας | apōleias | G0684 | destructionἀπώλεια (apōleia) ἀπώλεια, -ας, ἡ (ἀπόλλυμι), [in LXX (Cremer, 797) for אָבַד, אֵיד, etc. ;] destruction, waste, loss, perishing (in π., of money, see MM, see word): Mat.26:8, Mrk.14:4, Act.8:20, Rom.9:22, 1Ti.6:9, 2Pe.2:1; in special sense of the loss of eternal life, perdition, the antithesis of σωτηρία: Mat.7:13, Jhn.17:12, Php.1:28 3:19, 2Th.2:3, Heb.10:39, 2Pe.2:3 3:7 3:16, Rev.17:8, 11 (DB, iii, 744).† (AS) |
| of ungodly | ἀσεβῶν | asebōn | G0765 | ungodlyἀσεβής (asebēs) ἀσεβής, -ές (σέβω, to reverence), [in LXX chiefly for רָשַׁע ;] ungodly, impious: Rom.4:5 5:6, 1Ti.1:9, 1Pe.4:18, 2Pe.2:5-6 3:7, Ju 4 15.† (AS) |
| men. | ἀνθρώπων.¶ | anthrōpōn | G0444 | a humanἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.