The Meaning of 2 Peter 3:7 Explained

2 Peter 3:7

KJV: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

YLT: and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men.

Darby: But the present heavens and the earth by his word are laid up in store, kept for fire unto a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

ASV: but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  the heavens  and  the earth,  which are now,  by the same  word  are  kept in store,  reserved  unto fire  against  the day  of judgment  and  perdition  of ungodly  men. 

What does 2 Peter 3:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God has given orders that the present heavens and earth ( 2 Peter 3:5-6) will experience another judgment yet future. Then God will, with His word, destroy them by fire rather than by water (cf. 2 Peter 3:10; 2 Peter 3:12). This will evidently take place after the great white throne judgment and before the creation of the new heavens and new earth (cf. Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1). [1] The world is presently "reserved" for fire in the sense that this is its inevitable destiny (cf. Deuteronomy 32:22; Isaiah 34:4 LXX Isaiah 66:15-16; Zephaniah 1:18; Malachi 4:1).

Context Summary

2 Peter 3:1-9 - Longsuffering Delay
Peter does not hesitate to place the commandments of himself and the other Apostles of Jesus on a level with the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and he repeats his admonitions because of the urgency of the crisis then threatening the Church. Apparently there was a well-grounded fear that she would relax her attitude of expectancy and give credence to the materialistic philosophy of the age.
Men argued then from the appearances of things, and especially from the regular routine of cause and effect. They did not realize that, from time to time, there had been the intrusion of the divine personal will into the course of history, introducing a higher set of laws and arresting the ordinary succession of events; as for instance, the Flood and the miracles of Old Testament history. Why, then, should not the ordinary course of nature be broken in upon by the Second Advent, when the Lord shall gather His saints about Him and reign gloriously? What God has done He can do again! There is a person and a will behind the slight veil of the present life. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Peter 3

1  He assures them of the certainty of Christ's coming to judgment;
8  warning the godly, for the long patience of God, to hasten their repentance
10  He describes also the manner how the world shall be destroyed;
11  exhorting them to all holiness of life;
16  and again to think the patience of God to tend to their salvation, as Paul wrote to them in his epistles

Greek Commentary for 2 Peter 3:7

That now are [νυν]
“The now heavens” over against “the then world” (ο τοτε κοσμος — ho tote kosmos 2 Peter 3:6). [source]
By the same word [τωι αυτωι λογωι]
Instrumental case again referring to λογωι — logōi in 2 Peter 3:6.Have been stored up (τετησαυρισμενοι εισιν — tethēsaurismenoi eisin). Perfect passive indicative of τησαυριζω — thēsaurizō for which verb see Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:21.For fire Dative case of πυρ — pur not with fire (instrumental case). The destruction of the world by fire is here pictured as in Joel 2:30.; Psalm 50:3.Being reserved (τηρουμενοι — tēroumenoi). Present passive participle of τηρεω — tēreō for which see 2 Peter 2:4.Against Unto. As in 2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:9 and see 1 Peter 1:4 for the inheritance reserved for the saints of God. [source]
Have been stored up [τετησαυρισμενοι εισιν]
Perfect passive indicative of τησαυριζω — thēsaurizō for which verb see Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:21. [source]
For fire [πυρι]
Dative case of πυρ — pur not with fire (instrumental case). The destruction of the world by fire is here pictured as in Joel 2:30.; Psalm 50:3.Being reserved (τηρουμενοι — tēroumenoi). Present passive participle of τηρεω — tēreō for which see 2 Peter 2:4.Against Unto. As in 2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:9 and see 1 Peter 1:4 for the inheritance reserved for the saints of God. [source]
Being reserved [τηρουμενοι]
Present passive participle of τηρεω — tēreō for which see 2 Peter 2:4. [source]
Against [εις]
Unto. As in 2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:9 and see 1 Peter 1:4 for the inheritance reserved for the saints of God. [source]
The heavens - which now are [οἱ νῦν οὐρανοὶ]
A construction similar to the then world (2 Peter 3:6). The now heavens, or the present heavens. [source]
Kept in store [τεθησαυρισμένοι]
Rev., stored up. Lit., treasured up. The same word which is used in Luke 12:21, layeth up treasure. Sometimes with the kindred noun θησαυροὺς , treasures, as Matthew 6:19; lit., treasure treasures. [source]
Unto fire []
Some construe this with treasured up; as Rev., stored up for fire; others with reserved, as A. V.; others again give the sense stored with fire, indicating that the agent for the final destruction is already prepared. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Peter 3:7

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire [ἐν πυρὶ φλογός]
Lit. in a fire of flame. Comp. 1 Corinthians 1:13; 2 Peter 3:7. [source]
2 Peter 3:9 Slackness [βραδυτητα]
Old substantive from βραδυς — bradus (James 1:19), here only in N.T. God is not impotent nor unwilling to execute his promise.To youward (εις υμας — eis humas). Προς — Pros rather than εις — eis after μακροτυμει — makrothumei in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 and επι — epi in James 5:7, etc.Not wishing Present middle participle of βουλομαι — boulomai Some will perish (2 Peter 3:7), but that is not God‘s desire. Any Rather than “some” See Acts 17:30; Romans 11:32; 1 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 2:9 for God‘s provision of grace for all who will repent. [source]
2 Peter 3:9 Not wishing [μη βουλομενος]
Present middle participle of βουλομαι — boulomai Some will perish (2 Peter 3:7), but that is not God‘s desire. Any Rather than “some” See Acts 17:30; Romans 11:32; 1 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 2:9 for God‘s provision of grace for all who will repent. [source]
2 Peter 3:10 The day of the Lord [ημερα κυριου]
So Peter in Acts 2:20 (from Joel 3:4) and Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 5:5; and day of Christ in Philemon 2:16 and day of God in 2 Peter 2:12 and day of judgment already in 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:7. This great day will certainly come Future active of ηκω — hēkō old verb, to arrive, but in God‘s own time. [source]
1 John 4:17 The day of judgment [τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως]
Lit., the day of judgment. The exact phrase occurs here only. Ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως dayof judgment, without the articles, is found Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22, Matthew 11:24; Matthew 12:36; 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:7. The day is called the great day of their wrath (Revelation 6:17); the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgement of God (Romans 2:5); the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12); the last day (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54); that day (Matthew 7:22; Luke 6:23; Luke 10:12). The judgment is found Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42; Luke 10:14; Luke 11:31, Luke 11:32. [source]
Jude 1:4 Set forth [προγεγραμμενοι]
Perfect passive participle of προγραπω — prographō to write of beforehand, for which verb see Galatians 3:1; Romans 15:4.Unto this condemnation (εις τουτο το κριμα — eis touto to krima). See 2 Peter 2:3 for κριμα — krima and εκπαλαι — ekpalai Παλαι — Palai here apparently alludes to Judges 1:14, Judges 1:15 (Enoch).Ungodly men Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Jude 1:4 Ungodly men [ασεβεις]
Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Peter 3:7 mean?

- But now the heavens and the earth by the same word having been stored up exist for fire being kept unto [the] day of judgment destruction - of ungodly men
οἱ δὲ νῦν οὐρανοὶ καὶ γῆ τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ τεθησαυρισμένοι εἰσὶν πυρὶ τηρούμενοι εἰς ἡμέραν κρίσεως ἀπωλείας τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων

οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
οὐρανοὶ  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
γῆ  earth 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
τῷ  by  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
αὐτῷ  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
λόγῳ  word 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
τεθησαυρισμένοι  having  been  stored  up 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: θησαυρίζω  
Sense: to gather and lay up, to heap up, store up.
εἰσὶν  exist 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
πυρὶ  for  fire 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πῦρ  
Sense: fire.
τηρούμενοι  being  kept 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τηρέω  
Sense: to attend to carefully, take care of.
εἰς  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ἡμέραν  [the]  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
κρίσεως  of  judgment 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: κρίσις  
Sense: a separating, sundering, separation.
ἀπωλείας  destruction 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀπώλεια  
Sense: destroying, utter destruction.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀσεβῶν  of  ungodly 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀσεβής  
Sense: destitute of reverential awe towards God, condemning God, impious.
ἀνθρώπων  men 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.