2 Peter 3:6 kjv
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2 Peter 3:6 nkjv
by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
2 Peter 3:6 niv
By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
2 Peter 3:6 esv
and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
2 Peter 3:6 nlt
Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.
2 Peter 3 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:7 | So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created... | God's intention to destroy humanity due to sin. |
| Gen 6:17 | "For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth... | God explicitly states the means of judgment as a flood. |
| Gen 7:10 | And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. | The commencement of the global flood. |
| Gen 7:19-23 | The waters prevailed so mightily on the earth... | Description of the universal reach and destructive power of the flood. |
| Gen 9:11 | "I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood... | God's promise never to destroy all life by flood again. |
| Isa 54:9 | "This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth..." | Echoes the flood as a historical event and a covenant of peace. |
| Mt 24:37-39 | For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. | Jesus likens His return to the suddenness and judgment of Noah's flood. |
| Lk 17:26-27 | Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. | Jesus again uses the flood as a parallel for His future coming and judgment. |
| Heb 11:7 | By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark... | Noah's faith in the coming flood, leading to salvation. |
| 1 Pet 3:20 | ...in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. | Mentions salvation through the waters, contrasting with destruction by water. |
| 2 Pet 2:5 | if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah... | Directly connects God's past judgment (the flood) with His righteousness. |
| 2 Pet 3:5 | 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. | The preceding verse, laying the foundation of creation by God's word and water. |
| 2 Pet 3:7 | But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment... | The contrasting future judgment by fire, connected by "the same word." |
| Ps 29:10 | The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as King forever. | God's sovereignty over the flood and His eternal reign. |
| Job 22:15-16 | Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod, who were snatched away before their time, their foundation washed away by a flood? | Referring to a past destruction, possibly alluding to the flood narrative. |
| Jude 1:6 | And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority... are kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness... | Divine judgment on rebellion, providing a broader context for judgment. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality... serving as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. | Another example of direct, historical divine judgment. |
| Dt 29:20 | The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger and zeal of the Lord will smoke against that man... | God's fierce anger against unrighteousness. |
| Is 66:15-16 | For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment with all flesh... | Foreshadowing future judgment by fire, contrasting with past judgment by water. |
| Ps 77:16-19 | When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid... | Portrayal of God's power over the waters, implying divine control over them. |
| Prov 8:27-29 | When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep...when he assigned to the sea its limit... | God's creative wisdom in forming the earth and managing the waters. |
| Ps 104:6-9 | You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled... | Describes the initial covering of the earth by waters during creation, emphasizing divine control. |
2 Peter 3 verses
2 Peter 3 6 Meaning
2 Peter 3:6 states that the world existing before the great flood, which had been formed by God's word and out of water, was utterly destroyed when it was submerged and overwhelmed by a deluge of water. This verse serves as Peter's direct refutation of those who mock the promise of Christ's second coming, asserting that God has indeed intervened catastrophically in history to judge unrighteousness.
2 Peter 3 6 Context
Peter's second letter primarily aims to combat false teachings and encourage believers to persevere in faith, anticipating Christ's return. Chapter 3 specifically addresses scoffers who mock the idea of Christ's second coming by asserting uniformitarianism—that "all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
In verses 5 and 6, Peter refutes this by pointing to two historical realities: first, God's deliberate act of creation, forming the heavens and earth "out of water and through water by the word of God" (v. 5); and second, God's equally deliberate act of destruction, when "the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water" (v. 6). The flood, therefore, is not merely an ancient event but a decisive, demonstrable proof that God has intervened in the past to judge and drastically alter the world. This historical judgment serves as a powerful precedent, assuring believers that God will again intervene—this time, with fire (v. 7)—to bring about the day of judgment and the new heavens and earth.
2 Peter 3 6 Word analysis
- by which (δι’ ὧν - di’ hōn): Literally "through which" or "by means of which." This plural pronoun refers back to both God's "word" (λόγῳ) and the "water" (ὕδατι) mentioned in verse 5. It signifies that the flood, as a divine judgment, was not merely a natural phenomenon but occurred through God's active, intentional decree and the very elements He orchestrated in creation.
- the world (ὁ τότε κόσμος - ho tote kosmos): "The then-existing world." The definite article
ὁ(ho) andτότε(tote, "then") emphatically point to a specific, historical phase of existence.κόσμος(kosmos) refers to the ordered system of the world, including its physical elements and human society. This term underscores that it was not just a local event but a global perishing of that established order and its inhabitants. - that then existed (ὁ τότε): This phrase highlights the contrast between the world of the flood event and the current world. It emphasizes a distinct historical era, challenging the scoffers' claim that things have always remained constant. It implies a significant and fundamental change occurred.
- perished (ἀπώλετο - apōleto): An aorist passive form of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi). This verb means "was destroyed," "was ruined," "met its end," or "suffered annihilation." It denotes a complete and catastrophic loss, indicating that the world, in its pre-flood state, was irrevocably changed or lost its previous condition, rather than simply ceasing to exist in part.
- being flooded (κατακλυσθεὶς - kataklystheis): An aorist passive participle of κατακλύζω (kataklyzō). This Greek word gives us "cataclysm." It vividly describes the event: "having been deluged," "overwhelmed by a flood," "submerged." This emphasizes the nature of the destruction as an overwhelming inundation, a direct link to the Genesis account.
- with water (ὕδατι - hydati): Dative case, indicating the means or instrument. Explicitly names the agent of destruction. It reinforces the parallelism between creation "out of water" and destruction "by water," showcasing God's sovereign use of the same element for both purposes.
Words-group analysis:
- "by which the world that then existed perished": This phrase asserts God's intentional agency in the utter destruction of a specific past era. It challenges the assumption of a static, unchangeable natural order, establishing a precedent for divine intervention.
- "being flooded with water": This specifies the precise method of the pre-flood world's destruction. It directly invokes the Genesis narrative of the global flood, confirming it as historical reality and a powerful counter-example to the scoffers' claims of continuity.
2 Peter 3 6 Bonus section
The consistent use of "water" throughout 2 Peter 3:5-7 (creation, destruction by flood, then reservation for fire) underscores a theological theme: God's power is manifest through the very elements He created. The flood narrative, historically verifiable for the ancient Jewish and early Christian mind, cemented the reality of divine intervention against sin, countering any deistic or uniformitarian philosophical trends. This passage reinforces the idea that the New Testament authors firmly regarded the Old Testament accounts, including the Genesis flood, as factual historical events, not allegories or myths. The complete "perishing" of the "world that then existed" indicates a radical, systemic overhaul, not merely a minor natural disaster, confirming a transformative event of global scale in earth's history.
2 Peter 3 6 Commentary
2 Peter 3:6 is a potent scriptural argument for divine judgment based on historical precedent. Peter leverages the Genesis flood—a widely accepted historical event for his audience—as undeniable proof that God is not a disengaged spectator in His creation. The scoffers, blinded by their own desires and rejecting the divine origin of the cosmos, fail to acknowledge God's past intervention. By linking the pre-flood world's creation "by the word of God" and "out of water and through water" (v. 5) with its destruction "being flooded with water" (v. 6), Peter highlights God's absolute sovereignty over His creation. The very elements He commanded to form the world became the instrument of its judgment. The perishing of that "then existing world" underscores the radical nature of God's wrath and His willingness to dismantle an unrighteous order. This catastrophic event stands as a clear warning and a divine guarantee that the promised future judgment by fire, leading to a new heavens and earth, is equally certain. The verse encourages steadfastness and holy living in light of such a certain future.