Read & explore together
The Day of the Lord
This passage explains the Lord’s promise in relation to time, patience, judgement, and hope. It points readers to the certain coming of the day of the Lord and to a life shaped by that future.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
In these verses, the writer answers how the Lord’s promise should be understood. He says the Lord’s relation to time differs from ours, that his patience gives opportunity for repentance, and that the promised day will still come. The passage ends with holy living and the hope of a righteous new creation.
2 Peter 3:8–13Main takeaway
Since the Lord’s promised day will come, believers should respond with repentance, holy living, and hope in God’s promised new creation.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The Lord’s relation to timeThe passage begins with a comparison: one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Explanation
The passage begins with a comparison: one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The point is that the Lord’s relation to time is not measured by ordinary human expectations.
02Patience for repentanceThe writer says the Lord is not slow concerning his promise, even if some count it that way.
Explanation
The writer says the Lord is not slow concerning his promise, even if some count it that way. Instead, the Lord is patient and does not wish that anyone should perish. His patience serves the purpose that all should come to repentance.
03The day will comeThe day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, showing its arrival will be unexpected.
Explanation
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, showing its arrival will be unexpected. The verse then uses strong judgement language: the heavens will pass away, the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
04How people ought to liveBecause these things will be destroyed, the passage asks what kind of people believers ought to be.
Explanation
Because these things will be destroyed, the passage asks what kind of people believers ought to be. The answer is seen in holy living and godliness. They are to look for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God.
05The promised new creationThe passage ends with hope. According to God’s promise, believers look for new heavens and a new earth.
Explanation
The passage ends with hope. According to God’s promise, believers look for new heavens and a new earth. The defining feature of that future is that righteousness dwells there, so the passage closes with a hopeful picture after its warning of judgement.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does verse 8 teach about how the Lord relates to time?
Notice the two-part comparison and explain how it contrasts the Lord’s perspective with normal human measurement of time.
02Why does verse 9 say the Lord has not been slow concerning his promise?
Look at the contrast between slowness and patience, and include the stated purpose that people should come to repentance.
03How does the promised new earth connect with the way believers should live now?
Read verse 11 with verse 13 and trace the link between holy living and the future place where righteousness dwells.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
2 Peter 3:8–13
8But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
12looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.