2 Peter 3:12 (ASV)

Passage

looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nearby Context

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

2 Peter 3:11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in [all] holy living and godliness,

2 Peter 3:12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2 Peter 3:13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2 Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "looking", "earnestly", "desiring", "coming", "reason", "heavens", "fire", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "looking" and "earnestly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Seeing that these things are thus all..." into verse 13's "But according to his promise we look...", so "looking" and "earnestly" 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 "looking" and "earnestly" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.