2 Peter 1
Greeting
1 From Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
To those who received a faith equal to ours through the justice of our God and savior Jesus Christ.
2 May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Christian life in outline
3 By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory.
4 Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.
5 This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness;7 and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love.8 If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost.
11 In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Reminder of the Christian life
12 So I’ll keep reminding you about these things, although you already know them and stand secure in the truth you have.13 I think it’s right that I keep stirring up your memory, as long as I’m alive.14 After all, our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I am about to depart from this life.
15 I’m eager for you always to remember these things after my death.
Christ’s return is true
16 We didn’t repeat crafty myths when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quite the contrary, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes.17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to him from the magnificent glory, saying, "This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well-pleased."18 We ourselves heard this voice from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.19 In addition, we have a most reliable prophetic word, and you would do well to pay attention to it, just as you would to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.20 Most important, you must know that no prophecy of scripture represents the prophet’s own understanding of things,
21 because no prophecy ever came by human will. Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2 Peter 1
Salutation
1 From Simeons Peter,t a slavets and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our Gods and Savior,t Jesus Christ, have been grantedt a faith just as preciousts as ours.
2 May grace and peace be lavished on yout as you growt in the rich knowledget of God and of Jesus our Lord!t
Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God
3 I can pray this because his divine powert has bestowed on us everything necessaryt for life and godliness through the rich knowledget of the one who calleds us byt his own glory and excellence.4 Through these thingsts he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promisedt you may become partakers of the divine nature,s after escapingt the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.t5 For this very reason,ts make every effortt to add to your faith excellence,t to excellence, knowledge;6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance;t to perseverance, godliness;7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfishs love.ts8 For ift these things are really yourst and are continually increasing,s they will keep you from becomingt ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit oft knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.t9 Butt concerning the one who lacks such thingst – he is blind. That is to say, he ist nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.10 Therefore, brothers and sisters,t make every effort to be sure of your calling and election.ts For by doing thist you will nevert stumble into sin.t
11 For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.
Salvation Based on the Word of God
12 Therefore, I intend to remind you constantlyt of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle,ts I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed,t becauset our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.s
15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.s
16 For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and returnt of our Lord Jesus Christ;t no,t we weret eyewitnesses of hist grandeur.s17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when thatt voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.”ts18 When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselvest heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.t19 Moreover,t wes possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing.t You do well if you pay attentiont to thist as you wouldt to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning stars rises in your hearts.s20 Above all, you do well if you recognizet this:t No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,ts
21 for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, ment carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.