2 Peter 3:3

Above all, understand this: ¹  In the last days blatant scoffers ²  will come, being propelled by their own evil urges ³ 

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire.

First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings,

Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things,

First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts

knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,

Above all, understand this: ¹  In the last days blatant scoffers ²  will come, being propelled by their own evil urges ³ 

¹ tn Grk “knowing this [to be] foremost.” Τοῦτο πρῶτον (touto prwton) constitute the object and complement of γινώσκοντες (ginwskonte"). The participle is loosely dependent on the infinitive in v. 2 (“[I want you] to recall”), perhaps in a telic sense (thus, “[I want you] to recall…[and especially] to understand this as foremost”). The following statement then would constitute the main predictions with which the author was presently concerned. An alternative is to take it imperativally: “Above all, know this.” In this instance, however, there is little semantic difference (since a telic participle and imperatival participle end up urging an action). Cf. also 2 Pet 1:20.

² tn The Greek reads “scoffers in their scoffing” for “blatant scoffers.” The use of the cognate dative is a Semitism designed to intensify the word it is related to. The idiom is foreign to English. As a Semitism, it is further incidental evidence of the authenticity of the letter (see the note on “Simeon” in 1:1 for other evidence).

³ tn Grk “going according to their own evil urges.”