2 Peter 2:9 Explained

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:" — 2 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

A conclusion drawn from three old stories, and the emphasis falls on a verb people skip: knoweth how.

Read it in context: The Book of 2 Peter. Also gathered under verses about temptation.

2 Peter 2:9 in context

What does 2 Peter 2:9 mean?

'Knoweth how' claims competence rather than intention. The examples are chosen because in each the rescue looked improbable and late; Lot had to be taken by the hand. The sentence does not promise the situation will be comfortable or that you will see the method in advance — only that the method exists. The second half is the harder clause and Peter states it without softening.

What is the context of 2 Peter 2:9?

Peter has just cited the flood, Sodom, and Lot — cases where the righteous were mixed in with the condemned and the outcome was not obvious from inside. Verse 9 is what he concludes from the pattern, addressed to a church surrounded by teachers he considers frauds.

How do I pray 2 Peter 2:9?

Pray it when you cannot see a way out and have concluded there is not one. The verse contests your competence to judge that, not your description of the situation. Ask for deliverance and then leave the method alone; every example Peter picked worked out in a way the person inside it would not have designed.

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