2 Peter 1
New American Standard Bible
Growth in Christian Virtue
1 [a]Simon Peter, a (A)bond-servant and (B)apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received (C)a faith of the same [b]kind as ours, [c]by (D)the righteousness of (E)our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 (F)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in (G)the knowledge of God and of Jesus [d]our Lord, 3 for His (H)divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true (I)knowledge of Him who (J)called us [e]by His own glory and [f]excellence. 4 Through [g]these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent (K)promises, so that by them you may become (L)partakers of the divine nature, having (M)escaped the (N)corruption that is in (O)the world on account of lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith (P)supply (Q)moral [h]excellence, and in your moral excellence, (R)knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, (S)self-control, and in your self-control, (T)perseverance, and in your perseverance, (U)godliness, 7 and in your godliness, (V)brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor (W)unproductive in the true (X)knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one who lacks these qualities is (Y)blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his (Z)purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His (AA)calling and (AB)choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never (AC)stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into (AD)the eternal kingdom of our (AE)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be (AF)abundantly (AG)supplied to you.
12 Therefore, (AH)I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in (AI)the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it (AJ)right, as long as I am in (AK)this earthly [i]dwelling, to (AL)stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that (AM)the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, (AN)as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my (AO)departure you will be able to call these things to mind.
Eyewitnesses
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised (AP)tales when we made known to you the (AQ)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were (AR)eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a (AS)[j]declaration as this was made to Him by the (AT)Majestic Glory: “This is [k]My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this [l]declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the (AU)holy mountain.
19 And so we have (AV)the prophetic word made more (AW)sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to (AX)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (AY)day dawns and the (AZ)morning star arises (BA)in your hearts. 20 But (BB)know this first of all, that (BC)no prophecy of Scripture [m]becomes a matter of [n]someone’s own interpretation, 21 for (BD)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men (BE)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 1:1 One early ms Simeon
- 2 Peter 1:1 Or value
- 2 Peter 1:1 Or in
- 2 Peter 1:2 Or our Lord. Since His...excellence, through these (vv 3-4)
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or to
- 2 Peter 1:3 Or virtue
- 2 Peter 1:4 Lit which
- 2 Peter 1:5 Or virtue
- 2 Peter 1:13 I.e., human body
- 2 Peter 1:17 Lit voice
- 2 Peter 1:17 Or My Son, My beloved, with
- 2 Peter 1:18 Lit voice
- 2 Peter 1:20 Or comes from someone’s
- 2 Peter 1:20 Or the prophet’s own
2 Peter 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Simeon[a] Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith as equally honorable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
The Christian’s Call and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by[b] his own glory and excellence.(A) 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature.(B) 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge,(C) 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.(D) 9 For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.(E) 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you.(F) 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[c] to refresh your memory,(G) 14 since I know that my death[d] will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.(H) 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.(I) 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[e] with whom I am well pleased.”(J) 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.(K)
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.(L) 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s[f] own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.[g](M)
Footnotes
2 Peter 1
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
1 Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equal faith with us in the justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace be accomplished in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord:
3 As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue.
4 By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world.
5 And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;
6 And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness;
7 And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity.
8 For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time.
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 For which cause I will begin to put you always in remembrance of these things: though indeed you know them, and are confirmed in the present truth.
13 But I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.
14 Being assured that the laying away of this my tabernacle is at hand, according as our Lord Jesus Christ also hath signified to me.
15 And I will endeavour, that you frequently have after my decease, whereby you may keep a memory of these things.
16 For we have not by following artificial fables, made known to you the power, and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eyewitnesses of his greatness.
17 For he received from God the Father, honour and glory: this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
18 And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
21 For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 1
The Message
1 1-2 I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God’s straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.
Don’t Put It Off
3-4 Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
5-9 So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
10-11 So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The One Light in a Dark Time
12-15 Because the stakes are so high, even though you’re up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out, I’m not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it. This is the post to which I’ve been assigned—keeping you alert with frequent reminders—and I’m sticking to it as long as I live. I know that I’m to die soon; the Master has made that quite clear to me. And so I am especially eager that you have all this down in black and white so that after I die, you’ll have it for ready reference.
16-18 We weren’t, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father as the voice of Majestic Glory spoke: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight.” We were there on the holy mountain with him. We heard the voice out of heaven with our very own ears.
19-21 We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard—God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson