About the Elders

5 I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness^(A) to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed:^{(B) 2} Shepherd God’s flock among you,^(C) not overseeing^[a] out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you;^[b] not out of greed for money but eagerly; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd^(D) appears, you will receive the unfading crown^(E) of glory. ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with^[c] humility toward one another, because

Conclusion

⁶ Humble^(G) yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand^(H) of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.^{(I) 8} Be sober-minded,^(J) be alert.^(K) Your adversary the devil^(L) is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. ⁹ Resist him,^(M) firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

¹⁰ The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory^(N) in Christ,^[e] will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.^{[f] 11} To him be dominion^[g] forever.^[h] Amen.

¹² Through Silvanus,^[i](O) a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! ¹³ She who is in Babylon,^(P) chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son. ¹⁴ Greet one another with a kiss of love.^(Q) Peace^(R) to all of you who are in Christ.^[j]

Greeting

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

To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness^(C) of our God and Savior^(D) Jesus Christ.

² May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God^(E) and of Jesus our Lord.

Growth in the Faith

³ His^[b] divine power^(F) has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge^(G) of him who called^(H) us by^[c] his own glory and goodness. ⁴ 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 desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, ⁶ knowledge with self-control,^(K) self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, ⁷ godliness with brotherly affection,^(L) and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless^(M) or unfruitful^(N) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers and sisters, 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 provided for you.

¹² Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth^(Q) you now have. ¹³ I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent,^(R) to wake you up with a reminder, ¹⁴ since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.^{(S) 15} And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.^[d]

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 he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son,^[e] with whom I am well-pleased!” ^{(V) 18} We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.^{(W) 19} We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place,^(X) until the day dawns^(Y) and the morning star^(Z) rises in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;^(AA) instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.^(AB)