2 UPhetro 3

1 Incwadi le eyesibili, bathandekayo, ngilibhalela yona khathesi; okungazo zombili ngivusa ingqondo yenu eqotho ngokulikhumbuza,

Consider, most beloved, this second epistle which I am writing to you, in which I stir up, by admonition, your sincere mind,

2 ukuze likhumbule amazwi akhulunywa ngaphambili ngabaprofethi abangcwele, lomlayo wethu esingabaphostoli beNkosi loMsindisi;

so that you may be mindful of those words that I preached to you from the holy prophets, and of the precepts of the Apostles of your Lord and Savior.

3 lisazi lokhu kuqala, ukuthi ekucineni kwensuku kuzafika abahleka usulu, behamba ngokwezabo inkanuko,

Know this first: that in the last days there will arrive deceitful mockers, walking according to their own desires,

4 njalo besithi: Singaphi isithembiso sokuza kwakhe? Ngoba selokhu obaba balala, konke kumi kunjalo kusukela ekuqaleni kokudalwa.

saying: “Where is his promise or his advent? For from the time that the fathers have slept, all things have continued just as they were from the beginning of creation.”

5 Ngoba lokhu kabakwazi ngabomo, ukuthi amazulu ayekhona kusukela endulo, lomhlaba, ukhona uvela emanzini njalo ukhona ngamanzi, ngelizwi likaNkulunkulu,

But they willfully ignore this: that the heavens existed first, and that the earth, from water and through water, was established by the Word of God.

6 okungalo ilizwe elalikhona labhujiswa ngokugcwaliswa ngamanzi;

By water, the former world then, having been inundated with water, perished.

7 kodwa amazulu lomhlaba okukhona khathesi kubekiwe ngalona lelolizwi, kugcinelwe umlilo osukwini lokwahlulelwa lokubhujiswa kwabantu abeyisa uNkulunkulu.

But the heavens and the earth that exist now were restored by the same Word, being reserved unto fire on the day of judgment, and unto the perdition of impious men.

8 Kodwa lintonye kakumelanga ingaziwa kini, bathandekayo, ukuthi usuku olulodwa eNkosini lunjengeminyaka eyinkulungwane, leminyaka eyinkulungwane njengosuku olulodwa.

Yet truly, let this one thing not escape notice, most beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.

9 INkosi kayiphuzisi isithembiso, njengalokhu abanye besithi yikuphuza; kodwa iyasibekezelela, ingathandi ukuthi lamunye abhubhe kodwa ukuthi bonke bafinyelele ekuphendukeni.

The Lord is not delaying his promise, as some imagine, but he does act patiently for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to be turned back to penance.

10 Kodwa usuku lweNkosi luzafika njengesela ebusuku, okuzakuthi ngalo amazulu adlule ngokuhlokoma, lokokuqala kuzadilizwa ngokutshisa okukhulu, lomhlaba lemisebenzi ekuwo kuzatshiswa.

Then the day of the Lord shall arrive like a thief. On that day, the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and truly the elements shall be dissolved with heat; then the earth, and the works that are within it, shall be completely burned up.

11 Njengoba zonke lezizinto zidilizwa, kumele libe ngabanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele lekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu,

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought you to be? In behavior and in piety, be holy,

12 lilindele lilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu, okungalo amazulu azakutsha adilizwe, lokokuqala kuncibilike ngokutshisa okukhulu.

waiting for, and hurrying toward, the advent of the day of the Lord, by which the burning heavens shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt from the heat of the fire.

13 Kodwa ngokwesithembiso sakhe silindele amazulu amatsha lomhlaba omutsha, okuhlala kukho ukulunga.

Yet truly, in accord with his promises, we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth, in which justice lives.

14 Ngakho, bathandekayo, lilindele lezizinto, tshisekelani ukuthi lificwe nguye ekuthuleni lingelacwatshana njalo lingasoleki.

Therefore, most beloved, while awaiting these things, be diligent, so that you may be found to be immaculate and unassailable before him, in peace.

15 Beselisithi ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu kulusindiso, njengalokhu lomzalwane wethu othandekayo uPawuli walibhalela, ngokwenhlakanipho eyaphiwa yena;

And let the longsuffering of our Lord be considered salvation, as also our most beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

16 njengoba kunjalo lencwadini zakhe zonke, ekhuluma kuzo ngalezizinto, okukuzo kukhona izinto ezithile ezilukhuni ukuzwisiseka, okuthi abangaziyo labangaqinanga bazihlanekele, lanjengakweminye imibhalo, kube kokwabo ukubhujiswa.

just as he also spoke in all of his epistles about these things. In these, there are certain things which are difficult to understand, which the unlearned and the unsteady distort, as they also do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Ngakho lina, bathandekayo, lisazi mandulo, xwayani, ukuze lingaduhiswa yinkohliso yabangelamlayo, liwe kokwenu ukuqina.

But since you, brothers, know these things beforehand, be cautious, lest by being drawn into the error of the foolish, you may fall away from your own steadfastness.

18 Kodwa khulani emuseni lelwazini lweNkosi yethu loMsindisi uJesu Kristu. Ubukhosi kabube kuye lakhathesi njalo kuze kube lusuku lwaphakade. Ameni. (aiōn g165)

Yet truly, increase in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and in the day of eternity. Amen. (aiōn g165)

The Great Flood