2 Peter 3:16 (ASV)

Passage

as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Nearby Context

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.

2 Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;

2 Peter 3:16 as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, knowing [these things] beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] the glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "epistles", "speaking", "things", "wherein", "some", "hard", and "understood". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "epistles" and "speaking", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And account that the longsuffering of our..." into verse 17's "Ye therefore beloved knowing these things beforehand...", so "epistles" and "speaking" 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 "epistles" and "speaking" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.