2 Peter 3

1 Lo! ye moost dereworth britheren, Y write to you this secounde epistle, in which Y stire youre clere soule bi monesting togidere,

Beloved, this is now the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them they are reminders to stir up your sincere mind,

2 that ye be myndeful of tho wordis, that Y biforseide of the hooli prophetis, and of the maundementis of the hooli apostlis of the Lord and sauyour.

so that you will recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.

3 First wite ye this thing, that in the laste daies disseyueris schulen come in disseit, goynge aftir her owne coueityngis,

Know this first, that mockers will come in the last days. They will mock and proceed according to their own desires.

4 seiynge, Where is the biheest, or the comyng of hym? for sithen the fadris dieden, alle thingis lasten fro the bigynnyng of creature.

They will say, “Where is the promise of his return? From when our fathers fell asleep, all things have stayed the same, since the beginning of creation.”

5 But it is hid fro hem willynge this thing, that heuenes were bifore, and the erthe of water was stondynge bi watir, of Goddis word;

They willfully forget that the heavens and the earth came to exist out of water and through water, long ago, by God's command,

6 bi which that ilke world clensid, thanne bi watir perischide.

and that through these things, the world of that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

7 But the heuenes that now ben, and the erthe, ben kept bi the same word, and ben reseruyd to fier in to the dai of doom and perdicioun of wickid men.

But now the heavens and the earth are reserved for fire by that same command. They are reserved for the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly people.

8 But, ye moost dere, this o thing be not hid to you, that o dai anentis God is as a thousynde yeeris, and a thousynde yeeris ben as o dai.

It should not escape your notice, beloved, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.

9 The Lord tarieth not his biheest, as summe gessen, but he doith pacientli for you, and wole not that ony men perische, but that alle turne ayen to penaunce.

The Lord does not move slowly concerning his promises, as some consider slowness to be. Instead, he is patient toward you. He does not desire for any of you to perish, but for everyone to make room for repentance.

10 For the dai of the Lord schal come as a theef, in which heuenes with greet bire schulen passe, and elementis schulen be dissoluyd bi heete, and the erthe, and alle the werkis that ben in it, schulen be brent.

However, the day of the Lord will come as a thief: The heavens will pass away with a loud noise. The elements will be burned with fire, and the earth and the deeds in it will be revealed.

11 Therfor whanne alle these thingis schulen be dissolued, what manner men bihoueth it you to be in hooli lyuyngis and pitees,

Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? You should live holy and godly lives.

12 abidinge and hiyynge in to the comyng of the dai of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, bi whom heuenes brennynge schulen be dissoluyd, and elementis schulen faile bi brennyng of fier.

You should expect and hasten the coming of the day of God. On that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will be melted in great heat.

13 Also we abiden bi hise biheestis newe heuenes and newe erthe, in which riytwisnesse dwellith.

But according to his promise, we are waiting for the new heavens and the new earth, where righteousness will dwell.

14 For which thing, ye moost dere, abidynge these thingis, be ye bisye to be foundun to hym in pees vnspottid and vndefoulid.

Therefore, beloved, since you expect these things, do your best to be found spotless and blameless before him, in peace.

15 And deme ye long abiding of oure Lord Jhesu Crist youre heelthe, as also oure moost dere brother Poul wroot to you, bi wisdom youun to hym.

Also, consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him.

16 As and in alle epistlis he spekith `in hem of these thingis; in which ben summe hard thingis to vndurstonde, whiche vnwise and vnstable men deprauen, as also thei don othere scripturis, to her owne perdicioun.

Paul speaks of these things in all his letters, in which there are things that are difficult to understand. Ignorant and unstable men distort these things, as they also do the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Therfor ye, britheren, bifor witynge kepe you silf, lest ye be disseyued bi errour of vnwise men, and falle awei fro youre owne sadnesse.

Therefore, beloved, since you know about these things beforehand, guard yourselves so that you are not led astray by the deceit of lawless people and you lose your own faithfulness.

18 But wexe ye in the grace and the knowyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist and oure Sauyour; to hym be glorie now and in to the dai of euerlastyngnesse. Amen. (aiōn g165)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the glory be to him both now and forever. Amen! (aiōn g165)

The World is Destroyed by Water