2 Peter 1
New Testament for Everyone
Confirm your call!
1 Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus the Messiah, to those who have obtained a share of faith equal to ours in the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus the Messiah: 2 may grace and peace be multiplied to you, in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 God has bestowed upon us, through his divine power, everything that we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue. 4 The result is that he has given us, through these things, his precious and wonderful promises; and the purpose of all this is so that you may run away from the corruption of lust that is in the world, and may become partakers of the divine nature. 5 So, because of this, you should strain every nerve to supplement your faith with virtue, and your virtue with knowledge, 6 and your knowledge with self-control, and your self-control with patience, and your patience with piety, 7 and your piety with family affection, and your family affection with love. 8 If you have these things in plentiful supply, you see, you will not be wasting your time, or failing to bear fruit, in relation to your knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. 9 Someone who doesn’t have these things, in fact, is so short-sighted as to be actually blind, and has forgotten what it means to be cleansed from earlier sins. 10 So, my dear family, you must make the effort all the more to confirm that God has called you and chosen you. If you do this, you will never trip up. 11 That is how you will have, richly laid out before you, an entrance into the kingdom of God’s coming age, the kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus the Messiah.
Prophecy made sure
12 So I intend to go on and on reminding you about all this—even though you know it, and have been firmly established in the truth which has come to you. 13 But it seems right to me, as long as I am living in this present tent, to stir you up with a reminder, 14 since I know that I shall shortly be putting off this tent, as our Lord Jesus the Messiah showed me. 15 So I shall also be making every effort to ensure that, once I am gone, you may be able to call these things to mind at any time.
16 You see, when we made known to you the power and appearing of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, we were not following cleverly devised myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the father, a voice spoke to him from the Wonderful Glory, “This is my son, my beloved one, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 We heard this voice, spoken from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word made more certain. You will do well to hold on to this, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star shines in your hearts. 20 You must know this first of all, that no scriptural prophecy is a matter of one’s own interpretation. 21 No prophecy, you see, ever came by human will. Rather, people were moved by the holy spirit, and spoke from God.
2 Peter 1
New King James Version
Greeting the Faithful
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and (A)apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have [a]obtained (B)like[b] precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 (C)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His (D)divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him (E)who called us by glory and virtue, 4 (F)by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be (G)partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the [c]corruption that is in the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, (H)giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue (I)knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control [d]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and (J)to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither [e]barren (K)nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is (L)shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent (M)to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter’s Approaching Death
12 For this reason (N)I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, (O)though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, (P)as long as I am in this [f]tent, (Q)to stir you up by reminding you, 14 (R)knowing that shortly I must [g]put off my tent, just as (S)our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my [h]decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word(T)
16 For we did not follow (U)cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the (V)power and (W)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were (X)eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: (Y)“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on (Z)the holy mountain.
19 [i]And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a (AA)light that shines in a dark place, (AB)until (AC)the day dawns and the morning star rises in your (AD)hearts; 20 knowing this first, that (AE)no prophecy of Scripture is of any private [j]interpretation, 21 for (AF)prophecy never came by the will of man, (AG)but [k]holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 1:1 received
- 2 Peter 1:1 faith of the same value
- 2 Peter 1:4 depravity
- 2 Peter 1:6 patience
- 2 Peter 1:8 useless
- 2 Peter 1:13 Body
- 2 Peter 1:14 Die and leave this body
- 2 Peter 1:15 Lit. exodus, departure
- 2 Peter 1:19 Or We also have the more sure prophetic word
- 2 Peter 1:20 Or origin
- 2 Peter 1:21 NU men spoke from God
2 Peter 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Simeon[a] Peter, a servant[b] and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained (A)a faith of equal standing with ours (B)by the righteousness of our (C)God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 (D)May grace and peace be multiplied to you (E)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirm Your Calling and Election
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him (F)who called us to[c] his own glory and excellence,[d] 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become (G)partakers of the divine nature, (H)having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith (I)with virtue,[e] and virtue (J)with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control (K)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness (L)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection (M)with love. 8 For if these qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or (N)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he (O)is blind, having forgotten that he was (P)cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and (Q)election, for if you practice these qualities (R)you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you (S)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 Therefore I intend (T)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in (U)the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this (V)body,[h] (W)to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 (X)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, (Y)as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow (Z)cleverly devised (AA)myths when we made known to you (AB)the power and (AC)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but (AD)we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, (AE)“This is my beloved Son,[i] with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on (AF)the holy mountain. 19 And (AG)we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention (AH)as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until (AI)the day (AJ)dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For (AK)no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God (AL)as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 1:1 Some manuscripts Simon
- 2 Peter 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or by
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or virtue
- 2 Peter 1:5 Or excellence; twice in this verse
- 2 Peter 1:8 Greek these things; also verses 9, 10, 12
- 2 Peter 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
- 2 Peter 1:13 Greek tent; also verse 14
- 2 Peter 1:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
2 Peter 1
King James Version
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
