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
New Life Version
1 This letter is from Simon Peter. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ and a servant owned by Him. I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours which is of great worth and which no amount of money can buy. This faith comes from our God and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. 2 May you have more and more of His loving-favor and peace as you come to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better.
Christians Are to Grow
3 He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. 4 Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.
5 Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. 6 As you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. 7 As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. 8 If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if you do not have these things, you are blind and cannot see far. You forget God saved you from your old life of sin. 10 Christian brothers, make sure you are among those He has chosen and called out for His own. As long as you do these things, you will never trip and fall. 11 In this way, the road will be made wide open for you. And you will go into the holy nation that lasts forever of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.
12 You already know about these things but I want to keep telling you about them. You are strong in the faith now. 13 I think it is right as long as I am alive to keep you thinking about these things. 14 I know that I will soon be leaving this body. Our Lord Jesus Christ has told me this. 15 I will try to make a way for you to remember these things after I am gone.
16 We had nothing to do with man-made stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His coming again. We have seen His great power with our own eyes. 17 When He received honor and shining-greatness from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the All-powerful God, saying, “This is My much-loved Son. I am very happy with Him.” 18 We heard this voice come from heaven when we were with Christ on the holy mountain.
19 All this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Morning Star (Christ) will rise to shine in your hearts.
20 Understand this first: No part of the Holy Writings was ever made up by any man. 21 No part of the Holy Writings came long ago because of what man wanted to write. But holy men who belonged to God spoke what the Holy Spirit told them.
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.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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