2 Peter 3:4

“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Peter writes to believers, quoting scoffers who follow their own evil desires in the last days. The text records these mockers asking where the promise of His coming is while noting that everything continues unchanged since their ancestors died.

The words — The Greek ἐπαγγελίας παρουσίας (epangelias parousias) literally translates to "promise of the coming." This phrase directly names the specific expectation the scoffers are dismissing.

The thread — The text's depiction of delayed expectation aligns with Jeremiah 17:15, where people demand immediate fulfillment of God's word. It also parallels Jeremiah 5:12 and Malachi 2:17, which record similar challenges to divine action and justice.

Why it lands — The verse states that observed continuity does not invalidate divine promise. It requires readers to reject complacency and remain faithful to Scripture despite apparent delays.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 17:15 Behold, they keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!”
Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and in them He delights,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”
Jeremiah 5:12 They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
Luke 12:45 But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Isaiah 5:18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
Ecclesiastes 8:11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
Matthew 24:48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
Genesis 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
Ezekiel 12:22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
1 Thessalonians 2:19 After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?