2 Peter 1
Expanded Bible
1 From ·Simon [L Simeon; C a version of Simon closer to the Hebrew name] Peter, a ·servant [slave] and apostle of Jesus Christ.
To ·you [L those] who have received a faith as ·valuable [precious; privileged] as ours, ·because our God and Savior Jesus Christ does what is right [or through the righteousness/justice of our God and Savior Jesus Christ].
2 [May] Grace and peace be ·given to you more and more [lavished upon you; multiplied to you], ·because you truly know [or as you grow in your knowledge; L through/in the knowledge of] God and Jesus our Lord.
God Has Given Us Blessings
3 ·Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us [L His divine power has given us] everything we need ·to live and to serve God [or to live a godly life; L for life and godliness]. We have these things ·because we know [or as we better come to know; L through the knowledge of] ·Jesus, who called us [L the one who called us; C may refer to Jesus or God the Father] by his glory and ·goodness [virtue; moral excellence]. 4 Through these he gave us the very great and precious promises. [L …so that] With these gifts you can ·share in [partake of; participate in] ·God’s nature [L the divine nature; C which enables us to live forever], ·and the world will not ruin you with its evil desires [or having escaped the world’s decay that was caused by its evil desires].
5 ·Because you have these blessings [L For this very reason; C the reasons stated in vv. 3–4], ·do your best [make every effort; strive] to ·add these things to [or increase these things in] your lives: to your faith, add ·goodness [virtue; moral excellence]; and to your ·goodness [virtue; moral excellence], add knowledge; 6 and to your knowledge, add self-control; and to your self-control, add ·patience [or perseverance]; and to your ·patience [or perseverance], add ·service for God [devotion; piety; godliness]; 7 and to your ·service for God [devotion; piety; godliness], add ·kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ [affection for fellow believers; L brotherly love/affection; C Greek: philadelphia]; and to ·this kindness [affection; L brotherly love/affection], add love [C Greek: agapē]. 8 If all these things are in you and are ·growing [increasing], they will ·help you to be useful and productive [L keep you from being ineffective/idle and unfruitful/unproductive] in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 ·But [or For] anyone who does not have these things ·cannot see clearly [is nearsighted]. He is blind [1 John 2:11; Rev. 3:17] ·and [or because he] has forgotten that he was made clean from his past sins.
10 [L Therefore] My brothers and sisters, ·try hard [make every effort; strive] to ·be certain that you really are called and chosen by God [L confirm your calling and election]. [L For] If you do all these things, you will never ·fall [stumble]. 11 ·And [For in this way] you will be given a very ·great [rich; lavish] ·welcome [entrance; arrival] into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 You know these things, and you are ·very strong [established] in the truth [that has come to you; that you now have], but I will always ·help you remember [remind you of] them. 13 I think it is right for me to ·help you remember [L arouse you with a reminder] as long as I am in this ·body [L tent; C a metaphor for the transitory earthly body]. 14 I know I must soon ·leave this body [L put off my tent; C die; 1:13; 2 Cor. 5:1, 4], as our Lord Jesus Christ ·has shown [made clear to] me [John 21:18]. 15 I will ·try my best [make every effort; strive] so that you may be able [L always] to remember these things even after ·I am gone [L my departure; C Peter’s death].
We Saw Christ’s Glory
16 [L For] When we ·told [made known to] you about the ·powerful coming [or power and coming] of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not ·telling [following; repeating] ·just clever stories that someone invented [or cleverly-concocted myths]. But we ·saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes [L were eyewitness of his majesty]. 17 [L For] ·Jesus heard the voice of God, the Greatest Glory [L When that voice came to him from the Majestic Glory], when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him [C a reference to the Transfiguration; Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35].” 18 We heard that voice from heaven while we were with Jesus on the ·holy [sacred] mountain.
19 ·This makes us more sure about the message the prophets gave [or And we also have a reliable message from the prophets; L And we have the prophetic word confirmed; C probably referring to the Old Testament]. ·It is good for you [You do well] to follow closely what they said as you would follow a ·light [L lamp] shining in a dark place, until the day ·begins [L dawns] and the morning star rises in your hearts [Num. 24:17; Rev. 22:16; C the planet Venus as seen before sunrise, here symbolizing Christ]. 20 ·Most [First] of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in the Scriptures ·ever comes from the prophet’s own interpretation [or is a matter of one’s own interpretation]. 21 No prophecy ever came from ·what a person wanted to say [L human will/intention], but people ·led [carried; moved] by the Holy Spirit spoke words from God. [C True prophecy originates with God, not with the prophet.]
2 Peter 1
Living Bible
1 From: Simon Peter, a servant and missionary of Jesus Christ.
To: All of you who have our kind of faith. The faith I speak of is the kind that Jesus Christ our God and Savior gives to us. How precious it is, and how just and good he is to give this same faith to each of us.
2 Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. 3 For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! 4 And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character.
5 But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do. 6 Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. 7 This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply. 8 The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But anyone who fails to go after these additions to faith is blind indeed, or at least very shortsighted and has forgotten that God delivered him from the old life of sin so that now he can live a strong, good life for the Lord.
10 So, dear brothers, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen, and then you will never stumble or fall away. 11 And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 I plan to keep on reminding you of these things even though you already know them and are really getting along quite well! 13-14 But the Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that my days here on earth are numbered, and I am soon to die. As long as I am still here I intend to keep sending these reminders to you, 15 hoping to impress them so clearly upon you that you will remember them long after I have gone.
16 For we have not been telling you fairy tales when we explained to you the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. My own eyes have seen his splendor and his glory: 17-18 I was there on the holy mountain when he shone out with honor given him by God his Father; I heard that glorious, majestic voice calling down from heaven, saying, “This is my much-loved Son; I am well pleased with him.”
19 So we have seen and proved that what the prophets said came true. You will do well to pay close attention to everything they have written, for, like lights shining into dark corners, their words help us to understand many things that otherwise would be dark and difficult. But when you consider the wonderful truth of the prophets’ words, then the light will dawn in your souls and Christ the Morning Star will shine in your hearts. 20-21 For no prophecy recorded in Scripture was ever thought up by the prophet himself. It was the Holy Spirit within these godly men who gave them true messages from God.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.