The Melting Elements and the evil spirits that roam the earth - 1 and 2 Peter
Below is something I wrote out in a discussion and thought it might be able to do some more good here as well: 2 Peter is a VERY difficult book to interpret. All scholars agree. The earth being laid bare at least means the earth survives. This stands with the creation account that the earth and creation are good and very good. But these stoichea/elements are no t good. Where the earth is refined, the elements will be destroyed/melted. Here is the Strong's parsing: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4747&t=RSV Notice Paul's use of the same word: "So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the *elemental spirits* of the universe" (Gal 4:3). Though the RSV translates it "elemental spirits" the greek is "τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου" or "ta stoicheia tou kosmou" or the elements of the world (kosmou being our word for cosmos.). Also see, "how can you turn back again to the weak and beggar