2 Peter 3:9
in 2 Peter 3The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Peter 3
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise - That is, it should not be inferred because His promise seems to be long delayed that therefore it will fail. When people, after a considerable lapse of time, fail to fulfil their engagements, we infer that it is because they have changed their plans, or because they have forgotten their promises, or because they have no ability to perform them, or because there is a lack of principle which makes them fail, regardless of their obligations.
This site's exposition
not willing that any should perish
The delay itself is reinterpreted: the Lord is not slack, braduno, slow or late, but longsuffering, makrothymei, patient toward us-ward, not willing that any should perish, boulomenos, his settled will, but that all should come to repentance. The scope of any and all is read two ways with holders, exactly as at 1 Timothy 2:4, one reading it of all without distinction, God's genuine desire for every person's repentance held alongside human freedom to refuse it, another reading the us-ward and any within the elect in view, God's patience toward those he will certainly bring in. Either reading keeps the verse's own force intact, that the delay is mercy at work rather than slackness, and every day it continues is a day of grace rather than a day wasted.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
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. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, …
The Lord does not delay the promise. A little while and we shall see him, where we shall no more ask anything. We will no more ask anything because nothing will remain to be desired, nothing will be hidden to be inquired about.
A commentator
Pseudo-ClementSecond Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement) · Written before 400.
proposed
And another Scripture says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." This means that those who are perishing must be saved. For it is indeed a great and admirable thing to establish not the things which are standing, but those that are falling. …
A commentator
Ignatius of AntiochEpistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians · Written before 108.
proposed
Now, as to Philo the deacon, a man of Cilicia, of high reputation, who still ministers to me in the word of God, along with Gaius and Agathopus, an elect man, who has followed me from Syria, not regarding his life,-these also bear testimony in your behalf. And I myself give thanks to God for you, because ye have received them: and the Lord will also receive you. But may those that dishonoured them be forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ, "who wisheth not the death of the sinner, but his repentance."
Let us not look upon God's patience as ignorance. He holds back and delays so that, when we have been converted to a better state, we may not be handed over to torments.
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
In his fatherly love, his kindness and his clemency, God does not punish immediately, so that you may recognize the extent of his loving regard for you and of his compassion. He would rather wait for you than punish you in your sin.
The Medieval Church2 voices
The Lord does not delay His promise, etc. Therefore, He who knows all times, the latest and the ancient, does not delay His promise, but indeed shows this at the time which He predestined before all times to come. And therefore He still defers, so …
Having concluded the discourse on the end of the age — that it will certainly come and will come through fire (which we also explained at length) — the apostle turned to the extension of the time of the world's end and says that "The …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The Lord is not slow - As if the time fixed for it were past. Concerning his promise - Which shall surely be fulfilled in its season. But is longsuffering towards us - Children of men.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,....
This was done by the word of his power, and it was also done according to the word of his promise; God had said that he would destroy man, even all flesh, and that he would do it by bringing a flood of waters upon the earth, Gen. vi. This was the change which God had before brought upon the world, and which these scoffers had overlooked; and now we are to consider, 2.
He sets forth the use and improvement which Christians ought to make of Christ's second coming, and that dissolution and renovation of things which will accompany that solemn coming of our Lord,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
slack--slow, tardy, late; exceeding the due time, as though that time were already come. Heb 10:37, "will not tarry." his promise--which the scoffers cavil at.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The Lord is not slack - They probably in their mocking said, “Either God had made no such promise to judge the world, destroy the earth, and send ungodly men to perdition; or if he had, he had forgotten to fulfill it, or had not convenient time or leisure.” To some such mocking the apostle seems to refer: and he immediately shows the reason why deserved punishment is not inflicted on a guilty world. But is long-suffering - It is not slackness, remissness, nor want of due displacence at sin, that induced God to prolong the respite of ungodly men; but his long-suffering, his unwillingness that any should perish: and therefore he spared them, that they might have additional offers of grace, and be led to repentance - to deplore their sins, implore God’s mercy, and find redemption through the blood of the Lamb. As God is not willing that any should perish, and as he is willing that all should come to repentance, consequently he has never devised nor decreed the damnation of any man, nor has he rendered it impossible for any soul to be saved, either by necessitating him to do evil, that he might die for it, or refusing him the means of recovery, without which he could not be saved.
Modern Voices1 voice
The heart of the true Middle Ages might be found far better, for instance, in the noble tale of Tannhauser, in which the dead staff broke into leaf and flower to rebuke the pontiff who had declared even one human being beyond the strength of …
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐ | ou | Not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| βραδύνει | bradunei | does delay | G1019 → | |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπαγγελίας, | epangelias | promise, | G1860 → | |
| ὥς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| τινες | tines | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| βραδύτητα | braduteta | slowness | G1022 → | |
| ἡγοῦνται· | hegountai | esteem; | G2233 → | 28 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| μακροθυμεῖ | makrothumei | is patient | G3114 → | |
| εἰς | eis | toward | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| βουλόμενός | boulomenos | willing | G1014 → | |
| τινας | tinas | [for] any | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἀπολέσθαι | apolesthai | to perish | G622 → | |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| μετάνοιαν | metanoian | repentance | G3341 → | |
| χωρῆσαι. | choresai | to come. | G5562 → |
οὐNot
ouG3756 →1664 times
βραδύνειdoes delay
braduneiG1019 →
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐπαγγελίας,promise,
epangeliasG1860 →
ὥςas
hosG5613 →500 times
τινεςsome
tinesG5100 →528 times
βραδύτηταslowness
bradutetaG1022 →
ἡγοῦνται·esteem;
hegountaiG2233 →28 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
μακροθυμεῖis patient
makrothumeiG3114 →
εἰςtoward
eisG1519 →1755 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
βουλόμενόςwilling
boulomenosG1014 →
τινας[for] any
tinasG5100 →528 times
ἀπολέσθαιto perish
apolesthaiG622 →
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
μετάνοιανrepentance
metanoianG3341 →
χωρῆσαι.to come.
choresaiG5562 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Habakkuk 2:3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.
it leads to
- Lamentations 3:25–26
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Hebrews 10:36–37
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- Ezekiel 12:25
because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass,…
- Psalms 102:13
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— the appointed time has come.
- Lamentations 3:25–26
Through
1 Timothy 2:4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:32
For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
- Ezekiel 18:23
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
- Titus 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
- Ezekiel 18:32
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 2 Peter
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES 101.6.2; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Fastidius, ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 21; GK Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions, A Drama of Dolls (1910); Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 2 Peter; Pachomius the Great, BOOK OF OUR FATHER HORSIESIOS 3; Pseudo-Clement, Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement) and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Peter.