⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become ^(A)partakers of the divine nature, ^(B)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 ^(C)with virtue,^[a] and virtue ^(D)with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control ^(E)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness ^(F)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection ^(G)with love. ⁸ For if these qualities^[b] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or ^(H)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he ^(I)is blind, having forgotten that he was ^(J)cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers,^[c] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and ^(K)election, for if you practice these qualities ^(L)you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you ^(M)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹² Therefore I intend ^(N)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in ^(O)the truth that you have. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this ^(P)body,^{[d] (Q)}to stir you up by way of reminder, ^14 (R)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, ^(S)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 ^(T)cleverly devised ^(U)myths when we made known to you ^(V)the power and ^(W)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but ^(X)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, ^(Y)“This is my beloved Son,^[e] with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on ^(Z)the holy mountain. ¹⁹ And ^(AA)we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention ^(AB)as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until ^(AC)the day ^(AD)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 ^(AE)no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God ^(AF)as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(AG)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(AH)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(AI)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(AJ)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^(AK)will be blasphemed. ³ And ^(AL)in their greed they will exploit you ^(AM)with false words. ^(AN)Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For if God did not spare ^(AO)angels when they sinned, but ^(AP)cast them into hell^[f] and committed them to chains^[g] of gloomy darkness ^(AQ)to be kept until the judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world, but ^(AR)preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought ^(AS)a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ if by ^(AT)turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, ^(AU)making them an example of ^(AV)what is going to happen to the ungodly;^{[h] 7} and ^(AW)if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, ^(AX)he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); ⁹ then ^(AY)the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,^[i] and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,