2 Peter 3:15

2 Peter 3:15, in plain English

And remember, Paul wrote about this same thing in his letters—that God's patience brings salvation—and he was given wisdom to explain these deep things.

Why it's here

Peter is doing something remarkable here: he's appealing to Paul's letters (probably Romans and 1 Thessalonians) as Scripture. This shows the early church's respect for apostolic writing and proves that even the apostles affirmed each other's teaching.

Who's speaking

Peter, calling the whole apostolic witness together

Where it sits in the story

This is one of the earliest references to Paul's writings being considered Scripture, showing how the New Testament canon began to form.

The scholarly reading

Peter notes that Paul has written similarly about God's patience leading to salvation, demonstrating that this teaching is not Peter's novelty but apostolic consensus regarding the nature of the Parousia's delay.

Language and setting

This remarkable self-awareness—Peter acknowledging Paul's letters as authoritative teaching—provides a rare window into early Christian consciousness of an emerging canon. Peter validates Paul's approach to the delay-of-the-Parousia problem (addressed especially in 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians 15). The phrase 'wisdom God gave him' (Greek: sophia didothes) treats Paul's theological insight as charism, not merely human reasoning. This verse also confirms that by the time 2 Peter was written, Pauline letters were circulating as a corpus and were recognized as carrying apostolic authority—a crucial datum for dating and understanding the formation of the New Testament canon.

Voice

Peter, appealing to Pauline authority to reinforce his own eschatological teaching and to suggest apostolic unity beneath surface disagreements.

Significance

This represents a moment of deliberate canonicity-building—the apostolic college, even across apparent tensions (as in Galatians 2), is shown to be fundamentally aligned on central salvific truths. The emerging New Testament is consolidating itself through mutual recognition.

13But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.

15Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.

16He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.

Read all of 2 Peter 3 — Scoffers will say: where is the promise of his coming? But God isn't slow — he's patient, not wanting anyone to perish. The day will come like a thief.