Chapter 1

1:1 - Although this epistle claims to have been written by Peter (v.1:1), Peter was almost certainly not its author. It is thought to have been written around 90-100 CE, long after Peter's death. The late date is suspected because: 1) verses 3:3-4 make excuses for the failure of the expected second coming of Christ, 2) the author refers to "all of the letters of Paul" in a way that indicates that Paul's epistles were already considered equal to "the other scriptures", and 3) the epistle depends upon the letter of Jude, which is thought to have been written around 80-100 CE.

* Peter's epistles were likely written from Rome between 63-65 A.D.

* 2 Peter 3:3-4 is not making excuses for the failure of the expected, second coming of Christ.  These are prophetic words about scoffers in the last days.

* 2 Peter 3:16 refers to, "all of Paul's epistles" being deep and not always understood by people who don't study them deeply.  Peter never said that Paul was finished writing all of his epistles.  Peter also never mentions Paul's death which occurred in Rome in 67 or 68 A.D.

* Peter's writings do not depend on the 25 verses in the book of Jude.

* 1 Peter 5:1 mentions the writer (Peter) was "a witness of the sufferings of Christ."

* Early church fathers such as Irenaeus (185 A.D.), Clement of Alexandria (200 A.D.), Tertullian (200 A.D.), and Eusebius (300 A.D.) attribute these writings to Peter.

Chapter 2 

2:1-3 - The basic message of Christianity is "believe or be damned" and from this flows intolerance toward all nonchristians. But, as these verses show, Christian intolerance is often directed toward believers as well. Each group of Christians accuses the others of being "false teachers" of "damnable heresies" who will soon be damned to hell.

* This passage of scripture warns about false prophets and teachers who teach false, unbiblical doctrines.

2:4 - This verse says that the devil is chained down and cannot move, but 1 Pet.5:8 says he is free to roam about wherever he pleases.

* This passage does not mention the Devil.  This passage mentions some of the angels that fell from Heaven and currently reside in Hell.

2:5 - Noah was the first drunken preacher (Gen.9:20). God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah and his family.

* Noah did get drunk.  He was human and he sinned in this area.

* Noah and his family were the only ones saved from the Great Flood.  See Genesis 7:7.

2:7 - Has there ever been a just person?

* Yes. There have been some just people.  The apparent confusion lies only in Ecclesiastes 7:20.  However, the writer is stating that there are no perfect people.  In his new "circle of friends," there surely weren't any godly people (and definitely nobody perfect).

2:8 - Peter describes Lot, who in Gen.19:8 offers his two virgin daughters to a crowd of angel rapers and later (19:30-38) impregnates them, as a "righteous man." But according to many Bible verses, there never has been a righteous man. (1 Kg.8:46; 2 Chr.6:36; Ps.14:3, 53:3; Ec.7:20; Mk.10:18; Rom.3:10, 23; 1 Jn.1:8).

* Lot was both righteous and unrighteous.  Peter mentions Lot's righteousness.

* 1 Kings 8:46 states that there is no person without sin.

* 2 Chronicles 6:46 also states there is no person without sin.

* Psalm 14:3 states that God looks at people from Heaven and sees that everyone sins.  Nobody is righteous on their own.  They all need God's righteousness.  Psalm 53:3 mentions a similar situation.

* Ecclesiastes 7:20 states that there is no person without sin.

* In Mark 10:18, Jesus is indicating that He is one with God.  He says, "Why do you call me good?  There is none good, but God."  In the previous verse, Jesus was called by the title "Good Master."  This was a large, understatement.

* Romans 3:10 is referring to the fact that no human is righteous without God's help.  Romans 3:23 indicates that all have sinned.

* 1 John 1:8 also indicates that all have sinned.

* Every human has sinned.  This makes us guilty and unrighteous.  However, by trusting and believing in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.  Once we do this, we are given the Holy Spirit and we can become righteous by behaving godly and repenting from our sins.

2:9 - Peter tells us that God knows how to punish those that "despise government."

* 2 Peter 2:9 reads, "The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment."  This Greek word for "unjust" can also be translated "wicked" or "unrighteous."  This passage doesn't mention a human government.  Conversely, it contrasting a godly believer with an ungodly unbeliever.

2:16 - Peter believes the story in Numbers (22:28-30) about the talking ass.

* This isn't a contradiction.  In fact, it correlates with Numbers 22:28-30.

2:20-21 - Is it possible to fall from grace?

* This passage is talking about a person who hears about Jesus Christ and rejects Him.  Notice the phrase "the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  Nobody is saved with mere knowledge.  A person is only saved by repenting and accepting, believing, and trusting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

2:22 - Those who lose their faith are like dogs that eat their own vomit.

* Those who hear about salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ and reject it are like dogs that return to their own vomit.

Chapter 3

3:4 - Peter is aware of the failed expectations of early believers. He knows that Jesus, who was to come soon, didn't come at all. many have begun to ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" He tries to cover for Jesus by claiming that "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years."

* This passage isn't talking about the failed expectations of early believers.  This passage is talking about scoffers in the last days who mock Christians about Christ's second coming.

* 2 Peter 3:4 should be taken into proper context by including verse 3.  2 Peter 3:3 and 4 read, "Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?  For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'"

* "One day with the Lord is as a thousand years" is not mentioned in 2 Peter 3:4.

3:5-6 They are willingly ignorant" - Those who disbelieve in Noah's flood are "willingly ignorant."

* These verses tell us that those who ignore the evidence for Noah's flood and reject what God is showing them are willingly ignorant.

3:6 - God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah and his family.

* This was the perfect Creator's judgment on His creation that rejected Him, hurt themselves, hurt others, etc.

3:7 - God will set the entire earth on fire so that he can burn non-believers to death.

* After the 1000 year reign, the Earth will pass away and the unbelievers will be judged.

3:9 - This verse claims that God wants everyone to be saved, but other verses say otherwise (Pr.16:4, Jn.12:40, Rom.9:18, 2 Th.2:11-12).

* This verse correlates with other passages of scripture.  See Matthew 18:14.

* Proverb 16:4 doesn't say that God wants people to go to Hell.  However, He knows that some people will reject Him.

* John 12:40 reads, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."  The "He" in this verse is referring to the Devil and the "I" in this verse is referring to God.  The Devil wants to blind and destroy people, but God desires to heal and restore them.

* Romans 9:18 is referring to the situation with Pharaoh.  God hardened his heart, so that His glory would be shown.  However, there is no evidence indicating God would not want or let Pharaoh repent.

3:10 - Peter says that when Jesus finally does come, the heavens will "pass away with a great noise" and the earth will "be burnt up." But elsewhere (Dt.4:40, Ps.78:69, 104:5, Ec.1:4) the Bible says the earth will last forever.

* This verse correlates with other passages of scripture.  See Revelation 21:1.

*  Deuteronomy 4:40 refers to (and is better translated) the "land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time."  This is the promised land that Israel received from God.  This passage is clearly about God's promise and not about the future of the entire Earth in general.

* In Psalm 78:69, this Hebrew word "forever" is better translated "concealed the vanishing point."

* In Psalm 104:5, the Psalmist is praising God.  He is giving credit to God for laying the foundation of the Earth.  The same Hebrew word "forever" is used here and is better translated "concealed the vanishing point" of the Earth.

* Once again, this Hebrew word for "forever" is better translated "concealed the vanishing point."  Therefore, Ecclesiastes 1:4 reads, "One generation passes away and another generation comes, but the Earth stands and its vanishing point is concealed."

3:13 - Peter says there will be "a new earth," but Ecclesiastes (1:4, 9) says that the "earth abideth forever," and "there is no new thing under the sun."

* This verse correlates with other scriptures.  See Revelation 21:1.

* This Hebrew word for "forever" is better translated "concealed the vanishing point."  Therefore, Ecclesiastes 1:4 reads, "One generation passes away and another generation comes, but the Earth stands and its vanishing point is concealed."

* "There is no new things under the sun" doesn't refer to the future of the Earth.  This is a metaphor that the writer (likely Solomon) used to explain human depravity and the human desire to seek things that are not of God.

3:16 - Peter says that Paul's epistles are hard to understand. And that those who try to understand them, as with the other scriptures, do so "unto their own destruction."

* 2 Peter 3:16 reads, "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures."  This passage is simply saying that untaught (ignorant) and unstable people twist Paul's words (and the rest of the scriptures) and the result is their own destruction.  The solution is to study the scriptures diligently, get godly counsel, pray to God for help, use concordances and dictionaries, study the original languages and texts, etc.