Bible Gateway passage: 2 Peter 3 - New King James Version (2024)

FAQs

What is the main point of 2 Peter 3? ›

Peter reminds his readers that God is the one who made the world. Noah's flood is evidence of His willingness to alter the course of nature in order to bring judgment on humanity for sin. Christians should be looking forward to the new heavens and earth, rejecting false teaching, and leading holy lives.

In this verse, Peter shows one motive of the false teachers: greed. They want power and money, and they're willing to distort God's Word to try to get it from God's people. They won't just lie about the truth of God's Word, though; they will tell false stories about other things, as well.

After his departure Peter does not want his fellow Christians to be carried away by the error of the wicked, falling from their steadfastness in Jesus (2 Peter 3:17); the only way to avoid that is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to whom glory belongs from now until forever (2 ...

2 Peter 3 1

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

To whom was it written and why? Peter stated that he was writing “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us” (2 Peter 1:1). This may indicate that Peter's audience was the same Gentile Christians who received Peter's First Epistle (see 2 Peter 3:1).

As Peter wrote: “Be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men . . . but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:17–18).

2 Peter 3:9 Tells Us God Desires Our Repentance

He wants all to reach repentance. And so you just think about that with the people around you that you will interact with today, God doesn't want any of them to perish. He wants all of them to reach repentance.

Peter issues two warnings against corrupt teachers who are leading the Christian communities astray with their way of life and distorted theology. Peter addresses their objections to the reality of Jesus' resurrection and the final judgment. He reminds Christians that their hope is in God.

The previous verse includes a command from God to Christians: crave "pure spiritual milk" as a newborn baby craves milk, so you can grow up in your salvation. This verse concludes that thought by referencing Psalm 34:8.

Grace (5485) (charis [word study]) is free and unmerited favor of God bestowed upon guilty man in and through Jesus Christ. A Basic Definition—lexical: The Greek word for grace is charis.

What is the meaning of 2 Peter 3 14 18? ›

2 Peter 3:14–18 concludes Peter's letter. Because Christians are looking forward to the new heavens and earth, we should be working now to set aside sin and live in peace with God.

John 1:16 reads, “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” But what IS grace? The briefest definition of grace is “favor,” specifically “unmerited favor from God.” Put another way, it's receiving what we don't deserve.

Discussion Questions

How did Peter feel about the believers he was writing to? How did he show this love in action? Is there someone you need to contact to encourage? How does Chapter 2 show the importance of paying attention to God's commandments and warnings?

Peter reminds Christians that God made the world and Noah's flood is evidence that He is willing to alter it in order to bring judgment on the sins of humanity. In the coming judgment, everything will be destroyed and laid bare with fire.

Peter writes this letter to encourage Christians to live out the purpose of their lives in Christ. He warns readers to beware of teachers who claim to be believers, but present a false version of Christianity. And, Peter calls on all Christians to eagerly watch and wait for the return of the Lord.

The themes addressed include spiritual growth and maturity, standing against false teachers, and faith in the returning Christ. 2 Peter contributes to the overall message of Scripture by offering insight on the day of judgment and the new heaven and earth.

Peter writes his second letter to combat false teaching and to remind his readers that the grace of God truly transforms sinners, enabling them to walk in righteousness. For a contemporary world of moral chaos and false teachings of various kinds, 2 Peter has forceful relevance.

God is the only one who will determine the end of this world. Humans will not bring this earth to an end. The scriptures say that God has reserved the heavens and earth for fire, being kept until the day of judgment. It is by God's word that all things hold together and it is by God's word that the end will come.