2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

Passage

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Nearby Context

2 Peter 3:7 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.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lord", "slack", "concerning", "promise", "some", "count", "slackness", and "longsuffering". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lord" and "slack", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "But beloved be not ignorant of this..." into verse 10's "But the day of the Lord will...", so "lord" and "slack" belong inside that flow. In 2 Peter context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "lord" and "slack" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.