2 Peter

About 2 Peter

Second Peter is a farewell letter urging believers to grow in godliness and stand firm against false teachers who twist the faith and mock the promise of Christ's return. It answers the scoffers' question, 'Where is his coming?', with a call to remember that God's patience means salvation. The letter looks ahead to the day of the Lord and a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells.

Written by

The letter presents itself as the apostle Peter's farewell; tradition accepts that, but its authorship was questioned even in the early church, and many modern scholars think a later Christian wrote it in Peter's name.

When

If Peter wrote it, it dates to the mid-60s AD just before his death; many scholars place it later, anywhere from AD 80 to 110, which would make it one of the last New Testament books written.

Themes

• Growing in godliness
• Guarding against false teaching
• God's patience
• The day of the Lord
• Trustworthy promises

Key verses

• 2 Peter 1:3-4According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
• 2 Peter 3:13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.