Greeting

Simeon[a] Peter,(A) a servant and an apostle(B) of Jesus Christ:

To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness(C) of our God and Savior(D) Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God(E) and of Jesus our Lord.

Growth in the Faith

His[b] divine power(F) has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge(G) of him who called(H) us by[c] his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises,(I) so that through them you may share in the divine nature,(J) escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,(K) self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection,(L) and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless(M) or unfruitful(N) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election,(O) because if you do these things you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom(P) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

12 Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth(Q) you now have. 13 I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent,(R) to wake you up with a reminder, 14 since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.(S) 15 And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.[d]

The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;(T) instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.(U) 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son,[e] with whom I am well-pleased!” (V) 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.(W) 19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place,(X) until the day dawns(Y) and the morning star(Z) rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man;(AA) instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Other mss read Simon
  2. 1:3 Lit As his
  3. 1:3 Or to
  4. 1:15 Or death
  5. 1:17 Or my Son, my beloved

Salutation

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:

May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The Christian’s Call and Election

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) 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) For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge,(C) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 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) 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

  1. 1.1 Other ancient authorities read Simon
  2. 1.3 Other ancient authorities read through
  3. 1.13 Gk tent
  4. 1.14 Gk the putting off of my tent
  5. 1.17 Other ancient authorities read my beloved Son
  6. 1.20 Or the prophet’s
  7. 1.21 Other ancient authorities read but, moved by the Holy Spirit, saints of God spoke