1 Simeon[a] Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to the ones having received an equally-precious faith with us by-means-of [b] the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in[c] the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Because of All That God Has Given Us, Diligently Add To Your Faith These God-Like Qualities
3 Because-of His divine power having granted[d] us all things pertaining-to life and godliness through the knowledge of the One having called us by [e] His own glory and virtue[f], 4 through which qualities[g] He has granted us the precious and greatest things-promised in order that through these[h] you might become sharers of the divine nature[i], having escaped-from the corruption in the world by evil desire; 5 and indeed for this very reason you having applied all diligence— in[j] your faith supply[k] virtue; and in your virtue, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control; and in your self-control, endurance; and in your endurance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly-love; and in your brotherly-love, love.
These Qualities Make You Useful And Fruitful
8 For these qualities being-present in you and increasing make[l] you neither useless[m] nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one in whom these qualities are not present is blind, being shortsighted[n], having forgotten[o] the purification of his former sins.
So Be Diligent To Make Your Calling And Election Firm
10 Therefore brothers, be more diligent to be making your calling and election[p] firm[q]. For while doing these things you will by no means ever stumble. 11 For in this manner the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.
I Will Always Be Reminding You of These Things As Long As I Live
12 Therefore, I will-certainly[r] always be reminding you about these things, even though you are ones knowing and having been established in the truth being present with you. 13 And I regard it right for as long as I am in this [bodily] tent to be arousing you with a reminder, 14 knowing that the putting-off of my [bodily] tent is imminent, just as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ made-clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at-any-time after my departure[s], you may have the ability to produce the memory of these things.
For We Were Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Majesty And Glory
16 For we made-known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ— not having followed-after cleverly-devised myths, but having been made[t] eyewitnesses of the majesty of that One. 17 For He having received from God the Father the honor and glory of such a voice[u] having been carried[v] to Him by the Majestic Glory— “This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I was[w] well-pleased”— 18 we ourselves also heard this voice having been carried out of heaven, being with Him on the holy mountain.
And We Have God’s Prophetic Word More Firm
19 And we have the prophetic[x] word as more-firm[y], to which you are doing well to be paying-attention as to a lamp shining in a dismal[z] place, until which time the day dawns and the morning-star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first— that no prophecy of Scripture comes[aa] from one’s own[ab] interpretation[ac]. 21 For no prophecy was ever carried[ad] by the will of a human, but people being carried by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 1:1 This is the Aramaic spelling of ‘Simon’, found also in Act 15:14.
- 2 Peter 1:1 Or, through.
- 2 Peter 1:2 Or, by, in the sphere of.
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or, bestowed, given as a gift.
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or, to.
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or, moral-excellence, excellence of character.
- 2 Peter 1:4 That is, the glory and virtue.
- 2 Peter 1:4 That is, the things promised.
- 2 Peter 1:4 That is, God’s character qualities.
- 2 Peter 1:5 That is, in connection with; or, in the sphere of.
- 2 Peter 1:5 Or, provide, furnish.
- 2 Peter 1:8 Or, render.
- 2 Peter 1:8 Or, idle, unproductive.
- 2 Peter 1:9 Such ones do not see the distant reality.
- 2 Peter 1:9 Lit, received forgetfulness of.
- 2 Peter 1:10 Or, choosing, selection.
- 2 Peter 1:10 Or, secure, sure, steadfast, reliable.
- 2 Peter 1:12 Or, must.
- 2 Peter 1:15 That is, his death.
- 2 Peter 1:16 Or, having come-to-be.
- 2 Peter 1:17 That is, such a unique voice. Or, of an utterance such-as-this.
- 2 Peter 1:17 Or, borne-along, brought-forth.
- 2 Peter 1:17 Or, I delighted, I took-pleasure. See Mt 3:17.
- 2 Peter 1:19 That is, the words written by the prophets; in particular, about the Messiah.
- 2 Peter 1:19 That is, more certain as to its meaning, because we were eyewitnesses of its fulfillment. Or, we have the more-firm prophetic word, the OT prophecies, an even stronger witness than our eyewitness account of the voice from heaven.
- 2 Peter 1:19 Or, squalid, dark.
- 2 Peter 1:20 That is, comes to be written; or, comes to pass; or, comes to be understood.
- 2 Peter 1:20 Or, personal, private.
- 2 Peter 1:20 Or, explanation. God is the author and fulfiller of prophecy. The key to Isa 53, for example, is how God fulfilled it, not how humans interpret it. Thus, Peter has the prophetic word more firm because he was an eyewitness of its fulfillment.
- 2 Peter 1:21 That is, carried out of heaven, as in v 18.