They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is the casualness with which these scoffers dismiss God's grand promise. They frame it as a question born of simple observation – "since the fathers fell asleep" – implying that their entire ancestral memory offers no evidence for Christ's return, making it sound like a folksy, unfulfilled tale rather than an ultimate cosmic event. This highlights how easily persistent normalcy can breed disbelief in even the most profound divine assurances.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is addressing mockers who are intentionally disregarding the truth of Jesus' return. They're using the argument that because generations have passed without Christ's coming, and the world's patterns remain unchanged, his promise is empty. This sets the stage for Peter to explain why the Lord's return might seem delayed and to warn against their foolish disbelief.
Have you ever heard someone dismiss your deeply held beliefs with a wave of their hand? This verse shows us a tactic that's as old as time.
Peter confronts scoffers who deliberately ignore the promise of Christ's return.
The 'Where Is It?' Tactic
These folks don't just disagree; they mock. Their question, "Where is the promise of his coming?" isn't a genuine inquiry. It's rhetorical, meant to highlight the delay and imply the promise is empty or forgotten. They use the passage of time and the apparent stability of the world as proof that God's Word is unreliable.
'Since the Fathers Fell Asleep'
This phrase points to a generational denial. The scoffers appeal to the experience of their ancestors, suggesting that throughout history, people have waited, and nothing has changed. It's a way of saying, "No one we knew ever saw this happen, so why should we believe it?" This ignores God's perspective, where a thousand years are like a single day (as Peter reminds us elsewhere!).
The world feels predictable, right? Storms pass, seasons change, and life goes on. But does that mean God is absent?
The scoffers' argument relies on a faulty premise: that the world's consistent patterns mean God isn't involved or won't intervene.
Observing Without Understanding
Ask a follow-up
They see the unbroken continuity of creation and conclude nothing will change. They are like someone watching a pot boil, convinced it will never reach a rolling boil because it starts slowly. They fail to see that God's sustaining power is the reason things continue as they are. His faithfulness in upholding creation is precisely what makes His future intervention all the more certain.
A Divine Pause, Not an Abandonment
Peter's audience needed to understand that the delay in Christ's return wasn't because God forgot or gave up. It was, in fact, an act of His mercy, giving more time for people to repent (as stated in 2 Peter 3:9). The scoffers twisted this patience into negligence.
Understand the original words
parousia · Greek Noun
Refers to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Parousia), the glorious and literal return of the Lord to judge the world and establish His kingdom.
koimaō · Greek Verb
A common biblical metaphor for death, specifically referring to the physical passing of believers, implying rest and the hope of resurrection.
ktisis · Greek Noun
The divine act of bringing the universe into existence, demonstrating God's sovereignty, wisdom, and power as the originator of all things.
The doubters Peter addresses are mocking the faithful by pointing to the long delay since Jesus' ascension, a delay that seemed to contradict the promise of his return. This perspective highlights the essential nature of faith in the unseen and the future, especially when faced with the persistent 'sameness' of the world.
c. 4 BC - AD 30/33
Jesus' Life and Ministry
Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, lived, taught, performed miracles, died, and was resurrected, fulfilling prophecies about his coming.
c. AD 30 - 33
Jesus' Ascension
After his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, promising his disciples that he would return.
c. AD 33 - 64
Early Church Growth and Spread
The followers of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, spread the message of the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.
c. AD 64 - 67— this verse
Peter's Second Letter Written
Peter likely wrote his second letter to encourage Christians facing persecution and to warn against false teachers who denied Christ's return.
c. AD 67
Peter's Martyrdom
Tradition holds that the Apostle Peter was martyred in Rome, likely under the reign of Emperor Nero.
This verse highlights the consistent cycles of nature that Noah experienced after the flood, demonstrating the very 'as things were from the beginning' reality that the scoffers in 2 Peter 3:4 point to as evidence against God's promises.
Isaiah 5:11-12These verses expose the careless indulgence of people who are so caught up in their present comfort and worldly pursuits that they completely ignore God and His future judgment, mirroring the attitude of the scoffers.
Matthew 24:48-49Jesus Himself warned about a servant who, thinking 'my master is delayed,' begins to act wickedly and neglectfully, illustrating the danger of assuming a delay in God's promises to the point of disbelief and irresponsibility.
Jude 1:17-19Jude directly echoes Peter's warning about mockers in the last days who follow their own ungodly desires and create divisions, specifically mentioning their scoffing about the Lord's promised return.
What's easily missed is the casualness with which these scoffers dismiss God's grand promise. They frame it as a question born of simple observation – "since the fathers fell asleep" – implying that their entire ancestral memory offers no evidence for Christ's return, making it sound like a folksy, unfulfilled tale rather than an ultimate cosmic event. This highlights how easily persistent normalcy can breed disbelief in even the most profound divine assurances.
Peter is addressing mockers who are intentionally disregarding the truth of Jesus' return. They're using the argument that because generations have passed without Christ's coming, and the world's patterns remain unchanged, his promise is empty. This sets the stage for Peter to explain why the Lord's return might seem delayed and to warn against their foolish disbelief.
Peter is addressing mockers who are intentionally disregarding the truth of Jesus' return. They're using the argument that because generations have passed without Christ's coming, and the world's patterns remain unchanged, his promise is empty. This sets the stage for Peter to explain why the Lord's return might seem delayed and to warn against their foolish disbelief.
"They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”" — What's easily missed is the casualness with which these scoffers dismiss God's grand promise. They frame it as a question born of simple observation – "since the fathers fell asleep" – implying tha…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026