2 Peter 3:5

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:
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.

Context of 2 Peter 3:5

3Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 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. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

2 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 fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
• John 3:19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
• Romans 1:28Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:10and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
• Genesis 1:6And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”
• Psalms 24:2for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
• Psalms 33:6By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
• Psalms 136:6who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
• Hebrews 11:3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
• Colossians 1:17He is before all things, and in him all things hold 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

• Earth
• Geology
• Infidelity

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Asleep
• Dissolve
• Hard
• Promise
• Wrest
• Compact; Compacted
• Forget; Forgetful

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