Greeting

Simeon[a] Peter,(A) a slave and an apostle(B) of Jesus Christ:

To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours[b] through the righteousness(C) of our God and Savior(D) Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God(E) and of Jesus our Lord.

Growth in the Faith

His[c] divine power(F) has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge(G) of Him who called(H) us by[d] His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises,(I) so that through them you may share in the divine nature,(J) escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,(K) self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection,(L) and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless(M) or unfruitful(N) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election,(O) because if you do these things you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom(P) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.

12 Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth(Q) you have. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this bodily tent,[e](R) to wake you up with a reminder, 14 knowing that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has also shown me.(S) 15 And I will also make every effort that you may be able to recall these things at any time after my departure.[f]

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;(T) instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.(U) 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory:

This is My beloved Son.[g]
I take delight in Him![h](V)

18 And we heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with Him on the holy mountain.(W) 19 So we have the prophetic word strongly confirmed. You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dismal place,(X) until the day dawns(Y) and the morning star(Z) rises in your hearts. 20 First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;(AA) instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 1:1 Other mss read Simon
  2. 2 Peter 1:1 Or obtained a faith of the same kind as ours
  3. 2 Peter 1:3 Lit As His
  4. 2 Peter 1:3 Or to
  5. 2 Peter 1:13 = Peter’s body
  6. 2 Peter 1:15 Or my death
  7. 2 Peter 1:17 Other mss read My Son, My Beloved
  8. 2 Peter 1:17 = Christ’s transfiguration; Mt 17:5

Simon Peter, a servant(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,(B)

To those who through the righteousness(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

His divine power(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him(H) who called us(I) by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.(L)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;(M) and to knowledge, self-control;(N) and to self-control, perseverance;(O) and to perseverance, godliness;(P) and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.(Q) For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.(S) But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.(U)

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,(W) 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(Y)

Prophecy of Scripture

12 So I will always remind you of these things,(Z) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth(AA) you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory(AB) as long as I live in the tent of this body,(AC) 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside,(AD) as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.(AE) 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure(AF) you will always be able to remember these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,(AG) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.(AH) 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b](AI) 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.(AJ)

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,(AK) and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light(AL) shining in a dark place, until the day dawns(AM) and the morning star(AN) rises in your hearts.(AO) 20 Above all, you must understand(AP) that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God(AQ) as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
  2. 2 Peter 1:17 Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35