2 Peter 3 in the early church

126 passages quote, allude to, or echo 2 Peter 3, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 3 · 4 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18

2 Peter 3:3

Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:3	Against Jovinianus 1.39 · Jerome	quotation, high confidence	393
2 Pet 3:3–13	City of God 20.18 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	413–426

2 Peter 3:4

“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:4	1 Clement 23.3 · Clement of Rome	echo, medium confidence	ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100)

2 Peter 3:6

through which the world of that time perished in the flood.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:6	Commentary on the Apocalypse 4.2 · Victorinus of Pettau	echo, medium confidence	late 3rd century
2 Pet 3:6–7	Tractates 2.54.1 · Zeno of Verona	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 362-380
2 Pet 3:6	Literal Commentary on Genesis 3.2 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 401–415
2 Pet 3:6–7	City of God 20.16 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	413–426
2 Pet 3:6–7	City of God 20.24 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	413–426
2 Pet 3:6–7	Book 3, lines 49–74 · Claudius Marius Victor	echo, low confidence	ca. 425-430

2 Peter 3:7

And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:7	Martyrdom of Paul 3 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	ca. 150–200
2 Pet 3:7	Second Apology 6 · Justin Martyr	echo, medium confidence	ca. 150–160
2 Pet 3:7	On Baptism 8 · Tertullian	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 198–206
2 Pet 3:7	Fragments on Genesis, column 105 · Origen	allusion, low confidence	ca. 220-254
2 Pet 3:7	Lines 979–1002 · Commodian	allusion, medium confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:7	On the Trinity 8 · Novatian	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 240–250
2 Pet 3:7	Commentary on the Apocalypse 4.2 · Victorinus of Pettau	echo, medium confidence	late 3rd century
2 Pet 3:7	Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 73–74 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	5th century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:7	Literal Commentary on Genesis 3.2 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 401–415
2 Pet 3:7	Part 4, chapter 19 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	quotation, high confidence	ca. 445-450

2 Peter 3:8

Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:8	Epistle of Barnabas 15.4 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	ca. 70–135 (often ca. 130)
2 Pet 3:8	Dialogue with Trypho 81.3 · Justin Martyr	echo, high confidence	ca. 155–160
2 Pet 3:8	Against Heresies 5.23.2 · Irenaeus of Lyons	allusion, high confidence	ca. 180–190
2 Pet 3:8	Against Heresies 5.28.3 · Irenaeus of Lyons	quotation, high confidence	ca. 180–190
2 Pet 3:8	Heads against Gaius, fragment VII (on Rev 20:2-3) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 200-235
2 Pet 3:8	Commentary on Daniel 4.22-23 · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	ca. 202-204
2 Pet 3:8	Commentary on Daniel 4.24 · Hippolytus of Rome	quotation, high confidence	ca. 202-204
2 Pet 3:8	Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 111 · Origen	echo, medium confidence	ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century)
2 Pet 3:8	Divine Institutes 7.14.9 · Lactantius	echo, medium confidence	ca. 303–311
2 Pet 3:8	Epitome of the Divine Institutes 65.9 · Lactantius	echo, medium confidence	ca. 314–320
2 Pet 3:8	Treatise on the Mysteries 1.41.2 · Hilary of Poitiers	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 360–366
2 Pet 3:8	Letter 140.8 · Jerome	quotation, high confidence	ca. 370–419
2 Pet 3:8	Letter 199.18 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 386–430
2 Pet 3:8	Confessions 11.16 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 397–401
2 Pet 3:8	Tractates on the Gospel of John 64.2 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 406–420
2 Pet 3:8	City of God 20.7 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	413–426
2 Pet 3:8	Part 4, chapter 4 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	quotation, high confidence	ca. 445-450

2 Peter 3:9

The 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

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:9	Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude 8.11.1 (77.1) · Hermas	echo, medium confidence	ca. 100–150
2 Pet 3:9	First Apology 28 · Justin Martyr	echo, medium confidence	ca. 150–155
2 Pet 3:9	Second Apology 6 · Justin Martyr	echo, medium confidence	ca. 150–160
2 Pet 3:9	Dialogue with Trypho 39.2 · Justin Martyr	echo, medium confidence	ca. 155–160
2 Pet 3:9	Octavius 34.12 · Minucius Felix	echo, low confidence	ca. 197–250
2 Pet 3:9	Letter 55.22 · Cyprian of Carthage	echo, medium confidence	249/250–258
2 Pet 3:9	Homilies 9.19 · Anonymous	echo, low confidence	4th century (reworking earlier material)
2 Pet 3:9	Homilies 11.7 · Anonymous	echo, low confidence	4th century (reworking earlier material)
2 Pet 3:9	Recognitions 5.25 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407
2 Pet 3:9	Recognitions 10.49 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407
2 Pet 3:9	On the Anger of God 21.10 · Lactantius	echo, medium confidence	ca. 313–314
2 Pet 3:9	Tractates on the Psalms 144.14 · Hilary of Poitiers	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 360–367
2 Pet 3:9	Paraenesis, or Exhortation to Penitence 6 · Pacian of Barcelona	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 360-390
2 Pet 3:9	Paraenesis, or Exhortation to Penitence 12 · Pacian of Barcelona	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 360-390
2 Pet 3:9	Commentary on Romans 5:8 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 366–384
2 Pet 3:9	Commentary on Romans 13:4 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, low confidence	ca. 366–384
2 Pet 3:9	Question 102, section 8 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 370–384
2 Pet 3:9	Letter 140.8 · Jerome	quotation, high confidence	ca. 370–419
2 Pet 3:9	Apostolic Constitutions 2.55.2 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 380
2 Pet 3:9	Liber Orsiesii 6 · Orsiesius	echo, low confidence	ca. 380-390
2 Pet 3:9	Sermon 11.1 · Augustine of Hippo	echo, medium confidence	ca. 391-430
2 Pet 3:9	Poem 32, lines 221–255 · Paulinus of Nola	echo, medium confidence	ca. 393–431
2 Pet 3:9	Letter 30, chapter 6 · Innocent I, bishop of Rome	allusion, medium confidence	401–417
2 Pet 3:9	Tractates on the Gospel of John 101.6 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 406–420
2 Pet 3:9	On the Christian Life 2 · Fastidius	quotation, high confidence	ca. 411-430
2 Pet 3:9	On Patience 1 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, low confidence	ca. 415
2 Pet 3:9	Book 2, lines 422–444 · Claudius Marius Victor	echo, low confidence	ca. 425-430
2 Pet 3:9	Sermon 167 · Peter Chrysologus	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 425-450
2 Pet 3:9	On the Governance of God 8.7 · Salvian of Marseilles	allusion, high confidence	ca. 439-451

2 Peter 3:10

But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:10	2 Clement 16.3 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	ca. 100–150
2 Pet 3:10–12	Martyrdom of Paul 5 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	ca. 150–200
2 Pet 3:10	Sibylline Oracles 7.121ff. · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	2nd-3rd cent.
2 Pet 3:10	Sibylline Oracles 8.231ff. · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	2nd-3rd cent.
2 Pet 3:10	Sibylline Oracles 8.331ff. · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	2nd-3rd cent.
2 Pet 3:10	On the Sole Government of God 3 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	2nd–3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	Who Is the Rich Man That Is Saved? 37.5 · Clement of Alexandria	echo, low confidence	ca. 190–210
2 Pet 3:10	Miscellanies 5.1.9 · Clement of Alexandria	allusion, low confidence	ca. 198–203
2 Pet 3:10	Miscellanies 5.14.121 · Clement of Alexandria	echo, medium confidence	ca. 198–203
2 Pet 3:10	Octavius 34.5 · Minucius Felix	echo, low confidence	ca. 197–250
2 Pet 3:10	On the Shows 30 · Tertullian	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 197–202
2 Pet 3:10	On Christ and Antichrist 5 · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 200–215
2 Pet 3:10	Instructions 2.2 · Commodian	allusion, medium confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	Instructions 2.4 · Commodian	allusion, high confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	Instructions 2.39 · Commodian	allusion, medium confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	On Rebaptism 17 · Anonymous	echo, low confidence	ca. 250–258 (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	Res. 1.47 · Methodius of Olympus	echo, low confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	Recognitions 2.68 · Anonymous	echo, low confidence	Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407
2 Pet 3:10–12	Poem 6 (To Flavius Felix on the Resurrection of the Dead), lines 300–326 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	4th-5th cent. (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10	On the Anger of God 23.5 · Lactantius	echo, medium confidence	ca. 313–314
2 Pet 3:10	Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.48 · Eusebius of Caesarea	echo, medium confidence	ca. 313–324
2 Pet 3:10	Oration to the Assembly of the Saints 18.3 · Constantine the Great	echo, medium confidence	ca. 325 (dated variously 317–325)
2 Pet 3:10	Preface, lines 1–27 · Juvencus	echo, medium confidence	ca. 330
2 Pet 3:10–12	Cento, lines 493–516 · Proba	allusion, low confidence	ca. 360
2 Pet 3:10	Letter 6 · Basil of Caesarea	echo, low confidence	ca. 357–378
2 Pet 3:10	Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.39.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis	allusion, medium confidence	374-377
2 Pet 3:10–12	Book of Heresies 80.8 · Philastrius of Brescia	allusion, high confidence	ca. 380s
2 Pet 3:10	On Elijah and Fasting 78 · Ambrose	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 387-390
2 Pet 3:10	Sermon 81.9 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 391-430
2 Pet 3:10–12	Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 93–94 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	5th century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:10–11	City of God 20.24 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	413–426
2 Pet 3:10–12	Apologetic Book 15.1 · Orosius	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 415–416
2 Pet 3:10	Commonitorium 2.331–360 · Orientius of Auch	echo, medium confidence	ca. 420-450
2 Pet 3:10	Letter to Valerian, paragraph 21 · Eucherius of Lyon	echo, low confidence	ca. 432

2 Peter 3:11

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:11	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413

2 Peter 3:12

as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:12	2 Clement 16.3 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	ca. 100–150
2 Pet 3:12	Instructions 2.4 · Commodian	allusion, medium confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:12	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413
2 Pet 3:12	Part 4, chapter 19 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	quotation, high confidence	ca. 445-450

2 Peter 3:13

But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:13	Commentary on John 10.229 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 230–248
2 Pet 3:13	Instructions 2.4 · Commodian	allusion, medium confidence	3rd century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:13	On the Trinity 2 · Novatian	allusion, low confidence	ca. 240–250
2 Pet 3:13	Recognitions 8.12 · Anonymous	echo, medium confidence	Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407
2 Pet 3:13	Homilies on Matthew 31.5 · John Chrysostom	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 390
2 Pet 3:13	Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 95–96 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	5th century (disputed)
2 Pet 3:13	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 413
2 Pet 3:13	To the Church 2.48 · Salvian of Marseilles	allusion, high confidence	ca. 435-440
2 Pet 3:13	Part 5, chapter 1 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	quotation, high confidence	ca. 445-450

2 Peter 3:14

Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His sight.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:14–16	Letter 214.6 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–430
2 Pet 3:14	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413

2 Peter 3:15

Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:15	Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis	quotation, high confidence	374-377
2 Pet 3:15	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413

2 Peter 3:16

He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:16	Miscellanies 3.4.39 · Clement of Alexandria	echo, medium confidence	ca. 198–203
2 Pet 3:16	Letter to Amun 1 · Athanasius of Alexandria	allusion, high confidence	before 356
2 Pet 3:16	Commentary on Romans 1:11 · Ambrosiaster	echo, low confidence	ca. 366–384
2 Pet 3:16	Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.25.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis	quotation, high confidence	374-377
2 Pet 3:16	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 413
2 Pet 3:16	On Faith and Works 26 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 413
2 Pet 3:16–17	Letter 1 (= Leo, Ep. 22), chapter 2 · Flavian of Constantinople	allusion, high confidence	448-449

2 Peter 3:17

Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:17	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Pet 3:18	On Faith and Works 22 · Augustine of Hippo	quotation, high confidence	ca. 413