2 Peter 2:9
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →From these examples Peter concludes that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly and to hold the unjust for judgment.
What Does 2 Peter 2:9 Mean?
Peter draws the lesson from his examples into a single confident statement. "The Lord knoweth how" — He has the wisdom and power — both "to deliver the godly out of temptations" and "to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment." The two destinies run side by side: rescue for the faithful, custody for the wicked until their reckoning.
This verse is the heart of the chapter's comfort. The God who saved Noah and Lot still knows how to deliver His people from trial, and the God who judged the ancient world still holds the unrepentant for the appointed day. The believer surrounded by false teachers and pressing temptation can rest in this dual certainty: God will not lose His own, and He will not let evil go unanswered. Neither rescue nor judgment is in doubt. Until the final day, the unjust are merely "reserved," and the godly are watched over by a Lord who knows exactly how to bring them through.