2 Peter 3 · Verse 11

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,
2 Peter 3:11, King James Version

2 Peter 3:11 in other translations

BSBSince everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
WEBTherefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
ASVSeeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,
YLTAll these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts?
DARBYAll these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation andgodliness,
BBESeeing then that all these things are coming to such an end, what sort of persons is it right for you to be, in all holy behaviour and righteousness,
WebsterSeeing then that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy deportment and godliness,

What does 2 Peter 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. Your duty, seeing that this is so, is to be ever eagerly expecting the day of God. then--Some oldest manuscripts substitute "thus" for "then": a happy refutation of the "thus" of the scoffers, 2Pe 3:4 (English Version, "As they were," Greek, "thus"). shall be--Greek, "are being (in God's appointment, soon to be fulfilled) dissolved"; the present tense implying the certainty as though it were actually present. what manner of men--exclamatory. How watchful, prayerful, zealous! to be--not the mere Greek substantive verb of existence (einai), but (huparchein) denoting a state or condition in which one is supposed to be [Tittmann]. What holy men ye ought to be found to be, when the event comes! This is "the holy commandment" mentioned in 2Pe 3:2. conversation ... godliness--Greek, plural: behaviors (towards men), godlinesses (or pieties towards God) in their manifold modes of manifestation.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. Since this is an undoubted truth.

What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. In holy conduct and piety. That is, this fact ought to be allowed to exert a deep and abiding influence on us, to induce us to lead holy lives. We should feel that there is nothing permanent on the earth; that this is not our abiding home; and that our great interests are in another world. We should be serious, humble, and prayerful; and should make it our great object to be prepared for the solemn scenes through which we are soon to pass. An habitual contemplation of the truth, that all that we see is soon to pass away, would produce a most salutary effect on the mind. It would make us serious. It would repress ambition. It would lead us not to desire to accumulate what must so soon be destroyed. It would prompt us to lay up our treasures in heaven. It would cause us to ask with deep earnestness whether we are prepared for these amazing scenes, should they suddenly burst upon us.

(*) "conversation" "behaviour"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 All these things shall be dissolved - They will all be separated, all decomposed; but none of them destroyed. And as they are the original matter out of which God formed the terraqueous globe, consequently they may enter again into the composition of a new system; and therefore the apostle says, 2Pet 3:13 : we look for new heavens and a new earth - the others being decomposed, a new system is to be formed out of their materials. There is a wonderful philosophic propriety in the words of the apostle in describing this most awful event. What manner of persons ought ye to be - Some put the note of interrogation at the end of this clause, and join the remaining part with the 12th verse, thus: Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be? By holy conversation and godliness, expecting and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, etc. Only those who walk in holiness, who live a godly and useful life, can contemplate this most awful time with joy. The word σπευδοντας, which we translate hasting unto, should be tendered earnestly desiring, or wishing for; which is a frequent meaning of the word in the best Greek writers.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Peter 3:11-18
From the doctrine of Christ's second coming, we are exhorted to purity and godliness. This is the effect of real knowledge. Very exact and universal holiness is enjoined, not resting in any low measure or degree. True Christians look for new heavens and a new earth; freed from the vanity to which things present are subject, and the sin they are polluted with. Those only who are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, shall be admitted to dwell in this holy place. He is faithful, who has promised. Those, whose sins are pardoned, and their peace made with God, are the only safe and happy people; therefore follow after peace, and that with all men; follow after holiness as well as peace. Never expect to be found at that day of God in peace, if you are lazy and idle in this your day, in which we must finish the work given us to do. Only the diligent Christian will be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to us, or shortly call us to him; and shall he find us idle? Learn to make a right use of the patience of our Lord, who as yet delays his coming. Proud, carnal, and corrupt men, seek to wrest some things into a seeming agreement with their wicked doctrines. But this is no reason why St. Paul's epistles, or any other part of the Scriptures, should be laid aside; for men, left to themselves, pervert every gift of God. Then let us seek to have our minds prepared for receiving things hard to be understood, by putting in practice things which are more easy to be understood. But there must be self-denial and suspicion of ourselves, and submission to the authority of Christ Jesus, before we can heartily receive all the truths of the gospel, therefore we are in great danger of rejecting the truth. And whatever opinions and thoughts of men are not according to the law of God, and warranted by it, the believer disclaims and abhors. Those who are led away by error, fall from their own stedfastness. And that we may avoid being led away, we must seek to grow in all grace, in faith, and virtue, and knowledge. Labour to know Christ more clearly, and more fully; to know him so as to be more like him, and to love him better. This is the knowledge of Christ, which the apostle Paul reached after, and desired to attain; and those who taste this effect of the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will, upon receiving such grace from him, give thanks and praise him, and join in ascribing glory to him now, in the full assurance of doing the same hereafter, for ever.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Peter 3:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τούτωνtoutōnWhen these thingsG3778
οὕτωςhoutōsin this wayG3779
πάντωνpantōnallG3956
λυομένωνluomenōnbeing dissolvedG3089
ποταποὺςpotapouswhat kindG4217
δεῖdeioughtG1163
ὑπάρχεινhuparcheinto beG5225
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
ἐνenInG1722
ἁγίαιςhagiaisholyG40
ἀναστροφαῖςanastrophaisconductG391
καὶkaiandG2532
εὐσεβείαιςeusebeiaisin godlinessG2150

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Peter 3:11

  • 1 Peter 1:15

    But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

  • Philippians 1:27

    Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

  • 1 Peter 2:12

    Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

  • 1 Timothy 6:11

    But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

  • 2 Peter 3:12

    Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

  • James 3:13

    Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

  • Isaiah 34:4

    And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

  • Philippians 3:20

    For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

  • 1 Timothy 6:3

    If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

  • 2 Peter 1:3

    According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

  • Isaiah 14:31

    Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

  • 1 Timothy 4:12

    Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
all these.
12; Ps 75:3; Isa 14:31; 24:19; 34:4
what.
Mt 8:27; 1Th 1:5; Jas 1:24
in all.
Ps 37:14; 50:23; 2Co 1:12; Php 1:27; 3:20; 1Ti 4:12; Heb 13:5
Jas 3:13; 1Pe 1:15; 2:12
godliness.
1:3,6; 1Ti 3:16; 6:3,6,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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,

  • 2 Peter 3:12

    Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Read all of 2 Peter 3

2 Peter 3:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pues como todas estas cosas han de ser deshechas, ¿qué tales conviene que vosotros seáis en santas y pías conversaciones,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Toutes ces choses devant donc se dissoudre, quelles gens devriez-vous être en sainte conduite et en piété,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da nun dies alles aufgelöst wird, welche solltet ihr dann sein in heiligem Wandel und Gottseligkeit!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cum igitur hæc omnia dissolvenda sunt, quales oportet vos esse in sanctis conversationibus, et pietatibus,