Since these things are so, it is evident that the sentence of the whole verse is most fittingly embraced in this paraphrase: the Lord does not delay in confirming his promises by the event because, as lying teachers suppose, he is never going to fulfill them in deed; but according to his long-suffering he indulges us and for our sake defers punishments, since he absolutely does not will anyone to perish, but most sincerely wills all to repent and all to be saved through penance.
Furthermore, there is more than one similarity between this paraphrase and the doctrine of Paul which we are considering. For there exists a) a grammatical similarity: what Paul teaches by affirming when he says, ὃς πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν, “who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” Peter repeats partly by denying and partly by affirming, writing, μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι, “willing not that any should—”
—perish, but willing all to return to penance.” There exists b) a logical similarity, since no less in Paul than in Peter the words which we have just transcribed embrace the cause and reason of the things which precede. And there exists c) a real similarity, and that a twofold one, of which the former refers to the amplitude and the latter to the force and efficacy of the salvific will. For just as Paul, in order to declare the universal amplitude of the salvific will, uses a universal affirmative proposition, saying, “who wills all men to be saved,” so Peter, both by the particular negative proposition, “who does not will any to perish,” and by the universal affirmative proposition, “who wills all to return to penance,” subjects the same amplitude of the salvific will to the mind and soul. But just as Paul shows the force and efficacy of the salvific will from the fact that it is the will of God the Savior, and that it is the will of him to whom it is pleasing and acceptable that prayers be poured forth for the salvation of all, so Peter demonstrates the force and efficacy of the same will from the fact that it is the will τῆς μακροθυμίας, of long-suffering, and of him who spares the rod and uses indulgence for this reason: that there may be opportunity for penance for all and that the faculty of attaining salvation may be lacking to no one.