unfoldingWord_en_tn/2pe/03/04.md

# Where is the promise of his return?

The mockers ask this rhetorical question to emphasize that they do not believe that Jesus will return. The word "promise" refers to the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus will return. Alternate translation: "The promise that Jesus would return is not true! He will not return!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# our fathers fell asleep

Here "fathers" refers to ancestors who lived long ago. Falling asleep is a euphemism for dying. Alternate translation: "our ancestors died" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism]])

# all things have stayed the same, since the beginning of creation

The mockers exaggerate with the word "all", and they argue that since nothing in the world has ever changed, it cannot be true that Jesus will return. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]])

# since the beginning of creation

This can be translated as a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: "since God created the world" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])