2 Peter 3:5 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:

2 Peter 3:5 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,

2 Peter 3:5 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.

2 Peter 3:5 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,

2 Peter 3:5 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.

2 Peter 3 verses

2 Peter 3 5 Meaning

This verse states that those who mock the idea of Christ's return and future judgment willingly choose to forget foundational truths about God's power in creation. It highlights that the heavens and earth, in their original state, were formed and arranged by God's divine word, emerging from and sustained by water. This past act of creation by divine decree is presented as a crucial precedent, counteracting the scoffers' argument that "all things continue as they were from the beginning."

2 Peter 3 5 Context

2 Peter chapter 3 addresses scoffers who challenge the promise of Christ's second coming, operating under a uniformitarian worldview—that all things remain as they have always been. Peter refutes this by first reminding his readers of previous prophecies from holy prophets and Christ Himself (v. 2). Verse 5 then serves as a pivotal historical counter-argument, highlighting two major past divine interventions that disrupt their 'unchanging' premise: the initial creation of the heavens and earth by God's word (v. 5) and the subsequent destruction of the old world by the Genesis Flood (v. 6). This sets the stage for the argument that the present heavens and earth are being reserved for a future fiery judgment (v. 7), thereby affirming the reality of the Lord's coming. The historical context for the original audience includes exposure to Greco-Roman philosophies that could either deny divine intervention or foster a deterministic view of the cosmos, which Peter directly confronts with the biblical understanding of a sovereign, intervening God.

2 Peter 3 5 Word analysis

• For this: Connects directly to the scoffers' deliberate denial in verse 4, indicating a causal link between their mockings and their willful ignorance.
• they willingly forget (λανθάνω / lanthanō): The Greek root suggests "to escape notice," "to lie hid," or here, to be willfully ignorant, implying a deliberate suppression or oversight of truth. This is not accidental forgetfulness but a conscious refusal to acknowledge a truth they know or should know. It underscores the moral culpability of the scoffers.
• that by the word of God (λόγῳ Θεοῦ / logō Theou): "Word" (logos) signifies not merely a sound or command, but the effective, creative power of God. This echoes Gen 1 ("God said, 'Let there be...'" ) and emphasizes God's sovereign authority and ability to act powerfully in history. It highlights a fundamental truth about creation from nothing, or forming from pre-existing chaotic material, solely by divine utterance.
• the heavens were of old: Refers to the creation of the atmospheric and celestial heavens in primordial times, contrasting with the scoffers' claim of unending uniformity. "Of old" (ek palai) emphasizes a long-past, foundational event.
• and the earth: Specifically references the terrestrial sphere.
• standing out of the water and in the water (ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ δι᾽ ὕδατος συνεστῶσα / ex hydatos kai di’ hydatos synestōsa): This is a crucial phrase.
  • "standing" (synestōsa) means "composed," "brought together," or "organized/constituted." It implies a structured formation.
  • "out of the water" (ex hydatos): Points to the primeval watery state described in Gen 1:2, where the dry land emerges from the water (Gen 1:9). It could also refer to water being an elemental component in the initial formation.
  • "and in the water" (kai di' hydatos): Refers to the remaining water surrounding the dry land, or water integrated into the very composition and sustaining structure of the earth (e.g., oceans, groundwater, atmosphere). This dual prepositions highlights water's integral role both in the origin and constitution/arrangement of the early earth.
• words-group analysis:
  • "For this they willingly forget": Emphasizes the intentional nature of the scoffers' ignorance. Their error is not intellectual deficiency but a moral failing, choosing to suppress inconvenient truths that contradict their desired worldview and allow them to persist in their sinful ways (as implied in v. 3, "walking after their own lusts"). This active rejection of knowledge makes them accountable.
  • "that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water": This phrase directly confronts the uniformitarian argument. It asserts that God, through His spoken word, fundamentally intervened to bring the cosmos into being from an unformed watery state. The intricate relationship between land and water from creation is presented as a testament to divine power and order, serving as a historical precedent for future divine intervention and judgment. This detail anticipates the subsequent mention of the Flood in verse 6, where water again serves as an instrument of divine judgment, thus setting a pattern of divine action throughout history.

2 Peter 3 5 Bonus section

This verse subtly introduces a polemic against ancient uniformitarian philosophical concepts that held the cosmos as an eternal, unchanging system or denied a divine, active Creator. Peter contrasts such views with the biblical understanding of a God who actively intervenes in creation and history. The specific mention of "water" also sets up a thematic link between creation (organized from water) and judgment (destruction by water in the Flood, v. 6), foreshadowing the coming destruction by fire. It emphasizes that creation itself is a testimony to God's omnipotent word, leaving no excuse for unbelief.

2 Peter 3 5 Commentary

2 Peter 3:5 directly challenges the scoffers' foundational premise by appealing to the eyewitness account of Creation. Peter asserts that their denial of divine intervention in the future is predicated on a deliberate historical amnesia regarding God's past actions. Specifically, he highlights that the cosmos did not eternally exist in its current form but was intentionally brought into being "by the word of God." The mention of the heavens and earth "standing out of the water and in the water" recalls the Genesis creation narrative where dry land emerges from, and is distinct from yet surrounded by, the primeval waters (Gen 1:2, 9). This historical fact is potent: if God's word once formed and ordered the world out of chaos and water, then His word can just as certainly reorder it, bringing judgment and renewal. The scoffers are thus guilty of a moral failing—a "willing forgetfulness"—because the evidence of God's creative and ordering power is self-evident in the very world they inhabit.