The Lord is patient (2 Pet 3:9)

“The Lord

Is not slow

About his promise,

As some think

Of slowness,

But is patient

With you.

He does not want

Any people

To perish,

But wants all to come

To repentance.”

οὐ βραδύνει Κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδύτητα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι.

This author said, “The Lord (Κύριος) is not slow (οὐ βραδύνει) about his promise (τῆς ἐπαγγελίας), as some (ὥς τινες) think (ἡγοῦνται) of slowness (βραδύτητα), but is patient (ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ) with you (εἰς ὑμᾶς).  He does not want (μὴ βουλόμενός) any people (τινας) to perish (ἀπολέσθαι), but wants all (ἀλλὰ πάντας) to come (χωρῆσαι) to repentance (εἰς μετάνοιαν).”  Among the canonical Greek New Testament writings, this is the only time that this word appeared in 2 Peter, the word βραδύτητα, that means slowness, tardiness, or a delay.  This author took up the question of slowness versus patience.  Was the Lord too slow in returning in the Parousia?  Some people might think that God was slow, but this author preferred to call it patience.  The Lord did not want any person to perish.  Thus, he was giving them more time to repent, to have a metanoia (μετάνοιαν) in their life.  We are all concerned about slow to act versus patience.  Do we have God’s patience to let others turn their lives around or repent?