2 Peter · Chapter 3 · Forgiveness
2 Peter 3:9 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
What has been forgiven, you can forgive.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
KJV · King James Version
"The Lord2962 is1019 not3756 slack1019 concerning his promise1860, as5613 some men5100 count2233 slackness1022; but235 is longsuffering3114 to1519 us-ward2248, not3361 willing1014 that any5100 should perish622, but235 that all3956 should come5562 to1519 repentance3341."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses slack, men, slackness, longsuffering, while the WEB renders these as slow, slowness, patient, with. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
2 Peter 3:9 in 2 Peter 3
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is 2 Peter 3:9 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of 2 Peter 3. Read the full chapter →
- v.7 But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- v.8 But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
- v.9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- v.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
- v.11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,
Book background
About the Book of 2 Peter
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- General epistle
- Author
- Peter the apostle
- Date written
- c. 65–67 AD
- Audience
- The same churches as 1 Peter — now threatened by false teachers
- Chapters
- 3
2 Peter is the apostle's farewell. He warns against false teachers, defends the certainty of Christ's return, and affirms the divine origin of Scripture: "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (1:21). The book ends urging readers to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Setting: Peter's last letter, written shortly before his execution.
Key themes: true knowledge · false teachers · second coming · scripture · godliness
Memorisation aid
How to memorise 2 Peter 3:9
2 Peter 3:9 contains 30 words in 5 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise
TLINSC
- 2
as some count slowness
ASCS
- 3
but is patient with us
BIPWU
- 4
not wishing that any should perish
NWTASP
- 5
but that all should come to repentance.
BTASCT
Frequently asked
FAQ about 2 Peter 3:9
What does 2 Peter 3:9 say?
2 Peter 3:9 reads: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." — from the New Testament, 2 Peter (General epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is 2 Peter 3:9 in?
2 Peter 3:9 is in the book of 2 Peter, traditionally attributed to Peter the apostle and written around c. 65–67 AD. 2 Peter is general epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to The same churches as 1 Peter — now threatened by false teachers. Best known for the inspiration of Scripture and the certainty of Christ's return.
What is 2 Peter 3:9 about?
2 Peter 3:9 is primarily a Bible verse about Forgiveness. Within 2 Peter, 2 Peter is the apostle's farewell. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between 2 Peter 3:9 in WEB and KJV?
2 Peter 3:9 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "The Lord2962 is1019 not3756 slack1019 concerning his promise1860, as5613 some men5100 count2233 slackness1022; but235 is longsuffering3114 to1519 us-ward2248, not3361 willing1014 that any5100 should perish622, but235 that all3956 should come5562 to1519 repentance3341.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is 2 Peter 3:9?
2 Peter 3:9 is 30 words in the WEB translation (168 characters), broken into 5 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 9 seconds.
How can I memorise 2 Peter 3:9?
To memorise 2 Peter 3:9, split it into its 5 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does 2 Peter 3:9 matter in 2 Peter?
2 Peter is the apostle's farewell. He warns against false teachers, defends the certainty of Christ's return, and affirms the divine origin of Scripture: "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (1:21). The book ends urging readers to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:9 sits within this larger story — 2 Peter as a whole emphasises true knowledge, false teachers, second coming.
How can I apply 2 Peter 3:9 today?
Many readers use 2 Peter 3:9 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download 2 Peter 3:9 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
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Matthew 5:44
“But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
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-
1 Peter 4:8
“And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
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Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
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Psalms 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
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