God’s Word Translation
2 Peter 3:5
5They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth ⌞appeared⌟ out of water and was kept alive by water.
2 Peter 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
- New International Version (NIV)But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
Context of 2 Peter 3:5
3First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule ⌞God’s promise⌟ 4by saying, “What’s happened to his promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of the world.” They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth ⌞appeared⌟ out of water and was kept alive by water. 6Water also flooded and destroyed that world. 7By God’s word, the present heaven and earth are designated to be burned. They are being kept until the day ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.
Read all of 2 Peter 32 Peter 3:5 word by word
λανθάνει γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦτο θέλοντας ὅτι οὐρανοὶ ἦσαν ἔκπαλαι καὶ γῆ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ δι᾽ ὕδατος συνεστῶσα τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- willinglyθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- are ignorant ofλανθάνωlanthanō · be hiddenG2990
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- by the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- the heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- of oldἔκπαλαιekpalai · of oldG1597
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- standingσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- inδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
Cross-references for 2 Peter 3:5
- Proverbs 17:16Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he doesn’t have a mind to grasp anything?
- John 3:19This is why people are condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather than the light because their actions were evil.
- Romans 1:28And because they thought it was worthless to acknowledge God, God allowed their own immoral minds to control them. So they do these indecent things.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.
- Genesis 1:6Then God said, “Let there be a horizon in the middle of the water in order to separate the water.”
- Psalms 24:2He laid its foundation on the seas and set it firmly on the rivers.
- Psalms 33:6The heavens were made by the Lord’s word and all the stars by the breath of his mouth.
- Psalms 136:6to the one who spread out the earth on the water— because his mercy endures forever.
- Hebrews 11:3Faith convinces us that God created the world through his word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen.
- Colossians 1:17He existed before everything and holds everything together.
Commentaries on 2 Peter 3:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of - They shut their eyes against the light, and refuse all evidence; what does not answer their purpose they will not know. And the apostle refers to a fact that militates against their hypothesis, with which they refused to acquaint themselves; and their ignorance he attributes to their unwillingness to learn the true state of the case. By the word of God the heavens were of old - I shall set down the Greek text of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of - ́ ̀ ̓̀ ͂ ́ Laithanei gar autous touto thelontasThere is some considerable variety in the translation of this passage. In our common version the Greek word ( ́ thelontas) is rendered as if it were an adverb, or as if it referred to their “ignorance” in regard to the event; meaning, that while they might have known this fact, they took no pains to do it, or that they preferred to have its recollection far from their…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 Had these scoffers considered the dreadful vengeance with which God swept away a whole world of ungodly men at once, surely they would not have scoffed at his threatening an equally terrible judgment. The heavens and the earth which now are, by the same word, it is declared, will be destroyed by fire. This is as sure to come, as the truth and the power of God can make it. Christians are here taught and established in the truth of the coming of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Creation is the first evidence that the false teachers were wrong. Change does happen. If God made the world, then he is also able to destroy it. the earth was formed out of water and by water: See Genesis 1:2, 6–10.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Refutation of their scoffing from Scripture history. willingly--wilfully; they do not wish to know. Their ignorance is voluntary. they ... are ignorant of--in contrast to 2Pe 3:8, "Be not ignorant of this." Literally, in both verses, "This escapes THEIR notice (sagacious philosophers though they think themselves)"; "let this not escape YOUR notice." They obstinately shut their eyes to the Scripture record of the creation and the deluge; the latter is…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Peter 3:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Peter 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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