Второе послание Апостола Петра

The time and place from which it was written are unknown. It is addressed to Christians in general and is aimed mainly at the separation of faith from life and morals that has arisen in new communities, under the influence of false teachings. At the same time, the Apostle convinces of the inevitability of the second coming of Christ, although the time when it will happen is impossible to predict and should not be predicted. This message shows similarities with the content of the message of the Apostle Jude. Simon Peter, servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, - from the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, who accepted faith equal to ours. May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Christian dignity and Christian life His divine power has given us everything we need for a pious life, in the knowledge of Him who called us by the manifestation of His glory and goodness. Thus great and precious promises have been given to us, so that through them we may become partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped from the corruption of all lust that is in the world. Therefore, making every effort, show virtue in your faith, and prudence in virtue, in prudence there is self-control, in self-control there is patience, in patience there is godliness, in godliness there is brotherly love, in brotherly love there is love. If all this is present and still growing in you, then you will remain neither lazy nor fruitless in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have this is blind, does not see anything in front of him, and has forgotten to think about how his previous sins have been cleansed. Therefore, brethren, try in every possible way so that your calling and election are firmly known in you: if you do this, you will never stumble. And so the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly revealed to you. And I will never be lazy to remind you of this, although you yourself know and are confirmed in the real truth. I consider it my righteous duty, as long as I remain in this bodily church, to excite you with a reminder, knowing that I must soon leave this church of mine, just as our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to me. But I will still try so that even after my departure you will always have this memory in you. For we did not follow cunningly woven fables when we proclaimed to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. And He received honor and glory from God the Father when such a voice came to Him from the magnificent glory: “This is My beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice that came down from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we also have the most faithful prophetic word - and you do well that you turn to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day begins to dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all, you should know that no prophecy in Scripture is resolved by itself by reason. And prophecy was never spoken by the will of man, but holy men of God, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke it. There were also false prophets among the people, just as you will also have false teachers. They will introduce destructive heresies and, denying the Lord who redeemed them, will bring upon themselves quick destruction. Many will follow their corrupt teaching, and through them the path of truth will be reproached. Out of covetousness they will deceive you with flattering words; but judgment has long been ready for them, and their destruction does not sleep. Destruction for fallen Christians leading non-Christian lives God did not spare the angels who sinned, but, binding them with the bonds of hellish darkness, handed them over to judgment and torment; did not spare the ancient world, but preserved with seven souls the eighth Noah, the preacher of righteousness, when he brought the flood upon the world of the wicked; condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomora to destruction and turned them into ashes, setting an example for future wicked people; and delivered righteous Lot, weary of treatment among lawless and depraved people, for this righteous man, living among them, was tormented daily in his righteous soul, seeing and hearing lawless deeds. Therefore the Lord knows how to deliver the godly from temptation, and to preserve the wicked for the day of judgment, for execution, especially those who follow the evil lusts of the flesh, despise authorities, are bold, self-willed and are not afraid to slander their superiors, whereas the Angels, surpassing them in strength and power, do not bring a reproachful judgment against them before the Lord. They are like dumb animals, born to be caught and exterminated. By speaking evil of what they do not understand, they will perish in their corruption, and so they will receive retribution for their iniquity. They place all the pleasures of life in daily enjoyment. Disgraces and defilers, they do not abandon their lies and debauchery even when they eat with you 26. Their eyes are filled with lust and all sin; they seduce unsteady souls; the heart has become accustomed to covetousness; they are the sons of the curse. Leaving the straight path, they got lost and followed in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved unrighteous wages. But he was convicted of his iniquity; the dumb donkey spoke in a human voice and stopped the prophet’s madness. These are waterless springs, clouds and fogs, driven by a storm, and for them the darkness of eternal darkness is reserved. With impudent and absurd speeches they entice into carnal lusts and debauchery those who are barely behind people who still live in error; They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves to corruption: whoever succumbs to something is a slave to that. And if someone, having escaped from the defilements of the world into the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, again becomes entangled in them and is captivated by them, for him the last is worse than the first. It would be better, having learned, to return back from the holy commandment handed down to them; but what happens to them is what is said in the true proverb: the dog returns to its vomit, and the pig, having washed itself, goes to wallow in the mud. Chapter 3. It is true, although it still lingers, and the coming of Christ will be unexpected This is the second message I am writing to you, beloved; in them, as a reminder, I awaken your pure meaning, so that you remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior handed down to you from the Apostles. Know this first of all, that in the last days there will appear arrogant scoffers, walking in their lusts, and they will say: Where is the promise of His coming? Since the fathers began to die, from the beginning of creation, everything remains as it was. But such people do not want to know that in the beginning, by the Word of God, the heavens and earth were created from water and by water; So the world of that time perished, being drowned by water. And the present heavens and earth, contained by the same Word, are reserved for fire for the day of judgment and destruction of wicked men. One thing should not be hidden from you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as others think he is delaying; but he is patient with us, not that anyone should perish, but that everyone might come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and then the heavens will pass away with a noise, the elements will be destroyed by burning, the earth and all the works on it will be burned up. If all this is destroyed, what kind of holy and pious life should you lead? when you expect and desire the speedy coming of the day of God! On that day the burning heavens will be destroyed, and the burning elements will melt. But we, according to His promise, have tea of ​​a new heaven and a new earth. where the truth lives. So, beloved, in anticipation of this, strive to appear before Him undefiled and blameless and in peace. And consider the longsuffering of God to be salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you. This is what he says about this matter in all his messages. There is also something incomprehensible in them that ignorant and unsteady people, to their own destruction, pervert, like other Scriptures. But you, beloved, as you were warned about this, beware lest you be carried away by the delusion of the wicked and fall away from your affirmation; but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, now and forever. Amen. Apparently, here, of course, is the participation of depraved and unfaithful Christians in love suppers along with the faithful. And in some Greek lists it stands: έν ταῖς άϒάπαις – Wed. Jude 12. You might be interested in: