伯多禄后书 2 Peter Chapter 3
2 Peter
Chapter 3
1 1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; through them by way of reminder I am trying to stir up your sincere disposition,
亲爱的诸位！这已是我给你们写的第二封信，在这两封信中，我都用提醒的话，来鼓励你们应有赤诚的心，
2 to recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and savior through your apostles.
叫你们想起圣先知们以前说过的话，以及你们的宗徒们传授的主和救世者的诫命。
3 Know this first of all, that in the last days scoffers 2 will come (to) scoff, living according to their own desires
首先你们该知道：在末日要出现一些爱嘲笑戏弄，按照自己的私欲生活的人，
4 and saying, ＂Where is the promise of his coming? 3 From the time when our ancestors fell asleep, everything has remained as it was from the beginning of creation.＂
他们说：＂那里有他所应许的来临？因为自从我们的父老长眠以来，一切照旧存在，全如创造之初一样。＂
5 They deliberately ignore the fact that the heavens existed of old and earth was formed out of water and through water 4 by the word of God;
他们故意忘记了：在太古之时，因天主的话，就有了天，也有了由水中出现，并在水中而存在的地；
6 through these the world that then existed was destroyed, deluged with water. 5
又因天主的话和水，当时的世界为水所淹没而消灭了；
7 The present heavens and earth have been reserved by the same word for fire, kept for the day of judgment and of destruction of the godless.
甚至连现有的天地，还是因天主的话得以保存，直存到审判及恶人丧亡的日子，被火焚烧。
8 6 7 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.
亲爱的诸位，惟有这一件事你们不可忘记：就是在天主前一日如千年，千年如一日。
9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard ＂delay,＂ but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
主决不迟延他的应许，有如某些人所想象的；其实是他对你们含忍，不愿任何人丧亡，只愿众人回心转意。
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, 8 and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.
可是，主的日子必要如盗贼一样来到；在那一日，天要轰然过去，所有的原质都要因烈火而溶化，大地及其中所有的工程，也都要被焚毁。
11 9 Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion,
这一切既然都要这样消失，那么，你们应该怎样以圣洁和虔敬的态度生活，
12 10 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire.
以等候并催促天主日子的来临！在这日子上，天要为火所焚毁，所有的原质也要因烈火而溶化；
13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth 11 in which righteousness dwells.
可是，我们却按照他的应许，等候正义常住在其中的新天新地。
14 Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
为此，亲爱的诸位，你们既然等候这一切，就应该勉力，使他见到你们没有玷污，没有瑕疵，安然无惧；
15 And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you,
并应以我们主的容忍当作得救的机会；这也是我们可爱的弟兄保禄，本着赐与他的智慧，曾给你们写过的；
16 speaking of these things 12 as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.
也正如他在谈论这些事时，在一切书信内所写过的。在这些书信内，有些难懂的地方，不学无术和站立不稳的人，便加以曲解，一如曲解其它经典一样，而自趋丧亡。
17 Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability.
所以，亲爱的诸位，你们既预先知道了这些事，就应该提防，免得为不法之徒的错谬所诱惑，而由自己的坚固立场跌下来。
18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. (Amen.)
你们却要在恩宠及认识我们的主，和救世者耶稣基督上渐渐增长。愿光荣归于他，从如今直到永远之日，阿们
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-4] The false teachers not only flout Christian morality (cf Jude 1:8-19); they also deny the second coming of Christ and the judgment (2 Peter 3:4; cf 2 Peter 3:7). They seek to justify their licentiousness by arguing that the promised return of Christ has not been realized and the world is the same, no better than it was before (2 Peter 3:3-4). The author wishes to strengthen the faithful against such errors by reminding them in this second letter of the instruction in 1 Peter and of the teaching of the prophets and of Christ, conveyed through the apostles (2 Peter 3:1-2; cf Jude 1:17); cf 1 Peter 1:10-12, 16-21, especially 2 Peter 3:16-21; Eph 2:20.
2 [3] Scoffers: cf Jude 18, where, however, only the passions of the scoffers are mentioned, not a denial on their part of Jesus' parousia.
3 [4-7] The false teachers tried to justify their immorality by pointing out that the promised coming (parousia) of the Lord has not yet occurred, even though early Christians expected it in their day. They thus insinuate that God is not guiding the world's history anymore, since nothing has changed and the first generation of Christians, our ancestors (2 Peter 3:4), has all died by this time. The author replies that, just as God destroyed the earth by water in the flood (2 Peter 3:5-6, cf 2 Peter 2:5), so he will destroy it along with the false teachers on judgment day (7). The word of God, which called the world into being (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6) and destroyed it by the waters of a flood, will destroy it again by fire on the day of judgment (2 Peter 3:5-7).
4 [5] Formed out of water and through water: Genesis 1:2, 6-8 is reflected as well as Greek views that water was the basic element from which all is derived.
5 [6] Destroyed, deluged with water: cf 2 Peter 2:5; Genesis 7:11-8:2.
6 [8-10] The scoffers' objection (2 Peter 3:4) is refuted also by showing that delay of the Lord's second coming is not a failure to fulfill his word but rather a sign of his patience: God is giving time for repentance before the final judgment (cf Wisdom 11:23-26; Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11).
7 [8] Cf Psalm 90:4.
8 [10] Like a thief: Matthew 24:43; 1 Thes 5:2; Rev 3:3. Will be found out: cf 1 Cor 3, 13-15. Some few versions read, as the sense may demand, ＂will not be found out＂; many manuscripts read ＂will be burned up＂; there are further variants in other manuscripts, versions, and Fathers. Total destruction is assumed (2 Peter 3:11).
9 [11-16] The second coming of Christ and the judgment of the world are the doctrinal bases for the moral exhortation to readiness through vigilance and a virtuous life; cf Matthew 24:42, 50-51; Luke 12:40; 1 Thes 5:1-11; Jude 1:20-21.
10 [12] Flames . . . fire: although this is the only New Testament passage about a final conflagration, the idea was common in apocalyptic and Greco-Roman thought. Hastening: eschatology is here used to motivate ethics (2 Peter 3:11), as elsewhere in the New Testament. Jewish sources and Acts 3:19-20 assume that proper ethical conduct can help bring the promised day of the Lord; cf 2 Peter 3:9. Some render the phrase, however, ＂desiring it earnestly.＂
11 [13] New heavens and a new earth: cf Isaiah 65:17; 66:22. The divine promises will be fulfilled after the day of judgment will have passed. The universe will be transformed by the reign of God's righteousness or justice; cf Isaiah 65:17-18; Acts 3:21; Romans 8:18-25; Rev 21:1.
12 [16] These things: the teachings of this letter find parallels in Paul, e.g., God's will to save (Romans 2:4; 9:22-23; 1 Cor 1:7-8), the coming of Christ (1 Thes 4:16-17; 1 Cor 15:23-52), and preparedness for the judgment (Col 1:22-23; Eph 1:4-14; 4:30; 5:5-14). Other scriptures: used to guide the faith and life of the Christian community. The letters of Paul are thus here placed on the same level as books of the Old Testament. Possibly other New Testament writings could also be included. 3, 17-18: To avoid the dangers of error and loss of stability, Christians are forewarned to be on guard and to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 1:2) of Christ. The doxology (2 Peter 3:18) recalls 1 Peter 4:11. Some manuscripts add Amen.