‘The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment (or ‘while continuing their punishment') in readiness for the day of judgment,'

Thus these examples demonstrate that God knows how to deliver the godly out of testing and temptation, while at the same time keeping the unrighteous under sentence of punishment in readiness for the day of judgment. Strictly speaking, however, the present participle may suggest not just sentence of punishment but continuing punishment as they are kept ready for the day of judgment. The thought may be of the continuing punishment in the intermediate state as in Luke 16:22.

Note the threefold reference to ‘righteous' with reference to Lot - righteous Lot (2 Peter 2:7), that righteous man (2 Peter 2:8), righteous soul (2 Peter 2:8) - and note the previous reference to the ‘preacher of righteousness' (2 Peter 2:5). Here that becomes ‘the godly'. The righteous and the godly are those whose hearts are right towards God, and who are not caught up in the lusts and evil desires of the world.

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