2 Peter 1
New Catholic Bible
Salutation
Chapter 1
Address.[a] 1 Simon Peter,[b] a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 may grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge[c] of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Exhortation to Growth in Christian Virtues
Strengthen Your Vocation.[d] 3 His divine power has bestowed on us everything that is necessary for life and for devotion through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue. 4 By these he has given us his precious promises, great beyond all price, so that through them you may escape from the corruption with which evil desires have infected the world and thereby may come to share in the divine nature.[e]
5 [f]In view of all this, you should make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with piety, 7 and piety with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.
8 If you possess these qualities and they increase in abundance, they will prevent your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ from being ineffective and unfruitful. 9 For anyone who lacks them is near-sighted or blind, since he has forgotten how his past sins were washed away.[g]
10 Therefore, brethren, be diligent in providing a firm foundation for your call and election. If you do this, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a glorious welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.[h]
12 The Witness of an Apostle.[i] Therefore, I will continue to emphasize these things repeatedly, even though you already know them and are well grounded in the truth you possess. 13 For I think it is right, to refresh your memory as long as I remain in this body,[j] 14 since I know that my death[k] will come soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I shall also make every effort to ensure that you will always recall these things after my departure.
16 We did not rely upon cleverly concocted myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, we had beheld his majesty with our own eyes. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to him from the transcendent Majesty, saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came down from heaven, when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 Pay Close Attention to the Message of the Prophets.[l] This confirms the message of the Prophets more fully for us. You would do well to pay close attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20 First of all, however, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private interpretation. 21 No prophecy ever came from human initiative. Rather, when people spoke as messengers of God, they did so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.[m]
Footnotes
- 2 Peter 1:1 From the very first words, the author addresses believers, those who have received salvation or righteousness. He insists on faith and on knowledge of the Lord, the Christ.
- 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter: see notes on Mt 16:18; 16:19; Jn 1:42. Servant: see note on Rom 1:1. Apostle: see notes on Mk 6:30; Rom 1:1; Heb 3:1-6. To those: probably the same addressees as in 1 Pet 1:1.
- 2 Peter 1:2 Knowledge: a key theme of the Letter (see 2 Pet 1:3, 5, 8; 2:20; 3:18), probably to combat the claims of the Gnostics.
- 2 Peter 1:3 Christianity is not just another religious theory among those that are actually in vogue. To believe is to place oneself personally under the very action of God and to know that the destiny of human beings is accomplished in his eternal Kingdom. Christians live in communion with God; the earthly dimension does not suffice for them. And these great realities are not mere words; they demand a radical change in the manner of conceiving one’s destiny and conducting one’s existence. Thus, regardless of the historical distance from the time of its foundation, the Christian life constitutes a new state of existence.
- 2 Peter 1:4 Share in the divine nature: an expression found only here in the Bible. The author uses it to express the fullness of divine life in Christ (see Jn 1:12; 14:20; 15:4f; Rom 6:5; 1 Cor 1:9f; 1 Jn 1:3b).
- 2 Peter 1:5 The author lists the virtues that are needed for a genuine Christian life.
- 2 Peter 1:9 This is similar to the warning in the Johannine Letters against the Gnostics (see 1 Jn 1:8f), who claimed to know God without keeping the commandments.
- 2 Peter 1:11 Kingdom of . . . Christ: it is also the Kingdom of the Father (see Eph 5:5; 2 Tim 4:1; Rev 11:15).
- 2 Peter 1:12 The testimony of an Apostle has a greater value than any arbitrary Gnostic speculation.
 To emphasize this point, the author presents his work as a testament of Peter, who reminds the readers that the Lord had told him of his proximate death (see Jn 21:18-19) and insists above all on the fact that he had been a witness of the Transfiguration (see Mt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36), an event that bore witness to the glory of Christ and thereby guaranteed his glorious Return, which was being challenged at this time.
- 2 Peter 1:13 Body: literally, “tent.”
- 2 Peter 1:14 My death: literally, “the time for laying aside this tent.”
- 2 Peter 1:19 While awaiting the great Day of fulfillment, Scripture constitutes the light on the human journey. It cannot be handed over to the arbitrary interpretations of teachers of fortune who construe it in their own peculiar way; the inspiration of the Spirit must be respected.
- 2 Peter 1:21 Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: see note on 2 Tim 3:16. Both God and the authors were active in producing Scripture: God was the source of the content, but the writers used all their talents to set that message down.
2 Pedro 1
Nueva Versión Internacional
1 Simón[a] Pedro, siervo y apóstol de Jesucristo,
a los que por la justicia de nuestro Dios y Salvador Jesucristo han recibido una fe tan preciosa como la nuestra.
2 Que abunden en ustedes la gracia y la paz por medio del conocimiento que tienen de Dios y de Jesús nuestro Señor.
Firmeza en el llamamiento y en la elección
3 Su divino poder, al darnos el conocimiento de aquel que nos llamó por su propia gloria y excelencia, nos ha concedido todas las cosas que necesitamos para vivir con devoción. 4 Así Dios nos ha entregado sus preciosas y magníficas promesas para que ustedes, luego de escapar de la corrupción que hay en el mundo debido a los malos deseos, lleguen a tener parte en la naturaleza divina.
5 Precisamente por eso, esfuércense por añadir a su fe, virtud; a su virtud, conocimiento; 6 al conocimiento, dominio propio; al dominio propio, constancia; a la constancia, devoción a Dios; 7 a la devoción a Dios, afecto fraternal; y al afecto fraternal, amor. 8 Porque estas cualidades, si abundan en ustedes, los harán crecer en el conocimiento de nuestro Señor Jesucristo y evitarán que sean inútiles e improductivos. 9 En cambio, el que no las tiene es tan corto de vista que ya ni ve y se olvida de que ha sido purificado de sus antiguos pecados.
10 Por lo tanto, hermanos, esfuércense más todavía por asegurarse del llamado de Dios, que fue quien los eligió. Si hacen estas cosas, no caerán jamás 11 y se les abrirán de par en par las puertas del reino eterno de nuestro Señor y Salvador Jesucristo.
La veracidad de la Escritura
12 Por eso siempre les recordaré estas cosas, por más que las sepan y estén afianzados en la verdad que ahora tienen. 13 Además, considero que tengo la obligación de refrescarles la memoria mientras viva en esta habitación pasajera que es mi cuerpo; 14 porque sé que dentro de poco tendré que abandonarlo, según me lo ha manifestado nuestro Señor Jesucristo. 15 También me esforzaré con empeño para que, aun después de mi partida, ustedes puedan recordar estas cosas en todo tiempo.
16 Cuando les dimos a conocer la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo en todo su poder, no estábamos siguiendo sutiles cuentos supersticiosos, sino dando testimonio de su grandeza que vimos con nuestros propios ojos. 17 Él recibió honor y gloria de parte de Dios el Padre cuando desde la majestuosa gloria se le dirigió aquella voz que dijo: «Este es mi Hijo amado; estoy muy complacido con él».[b] 18 Nosotros mismos oímos esa voz que vino del cielo cuando estábamos con él en el monte santo. 19 Esto ha venido a confirmarnos la palabra[c] de los profetas, a la cual ustedes hacen bien en prestar atención como a una lámpara que brilla en un lugar oscuro, hasta que amanezca el día y salga el lucero de la mañana en sus corazones. 20 Ante todo, tengan muy presente que ninguna profecía de la Escritura surge de la interpretación particular de nadie. 21 Porque la profecía no ha tenido su origen en la voluntad humana, sino que los profetas hablaron de parte de Dios, impulsados por el Espíritu Santo.
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.
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
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


