2 Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, bondman and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have received like precious faith with us through [the] righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:
I, Simon Peter, [am writing this letter to you. I] serve Jesus Christ, and am an apostle [appointed by] him. [I am sending this letter to you] whom God has caused to believe [in Christ] just like he [caused us(exc) apostles to believe in Christ]. You and we have (equally been given the/both been given the same) privilege of believing in Jesus Christ. He [is] God, he is righteous, he is the one whom we [worship], and he is our Savior.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in [the] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
[I pray that God] will continue to act very kindly towards you, and give you (a deep/very much) [inner] peace, because you [truly] know God and Jesus, who is our Lord.
3 As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us by glory and virtue,
[God] [PRS] has given us everything [that we need] in order that we might receive [eternal] life and in order that we might [live] (in a godly way/in a way that pleases him). He gives us that by the power that he has because he is God, and he has also given it to us as a result of our knowing him. He is the wonderful and perfect one who chose us [to be his people].
4 through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Being [glorious and perfect], he has promised us [that he will do] very great and (priceless/very precious) things [for us]. [He has also promised] you that by [believing what he has promised] you will be able to act [righteously], just like God acts [righteously], and that you will be free from being morally depraved/corrupted, and that you will not be [like] those who do not believe in Christ and are morally depraved because of their desire to do things that are evil.
5 But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge,
Because God has done all that, by trying very hard, make sure that you not only believe [in Christ], but that you are also living morally good lives. And make sure that you are not only living morally good lives, but that you also know [what God desires] (OR, behave wisely).
6 in knowledge temperance, in temperance endurance, in endurance godliness,
And make sure that you not only know [what God desires] (OR, behave wisely), but that you also control what you say and do. And make sure that you not only control what you say and do, but that you are also steadfast/patient. And make sure that you are not only (steadfast/patient when you suffer), but that you are also godly.
7 in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love love:
And make sure that you not only (are godly/live in a way that pleases God), but that you also have a concern for your fellow believers, as brothers and sisters [ought to have] for each other. And make sure that you not only have a concern for your fellow believers, but that you also love [others].
8 for these things existing and abounding in you make [you] to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
If you do these [things], and if [you do them] more and more, that demonstrates that knowing our Lord Jesus Christ (is very effective/produces good results) [LIT] in your lives.
9 for he with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former sins.
If these [qualities] are not present in people, it means they are not aware [that these things are important, just like a blind person is not aware of what is around him]. They [think only about earthly matters, just like] [MET] a shortsighted person [sees clearly only things that are near]. It seems that they have forgotten that God has forgiven them for their former sinful lives.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, use diligence to make your calling and election sure, for doing these things ye will never fall;
Instead of [acting like those people], try to confirm/prove by the way you conduct your lives that you are among those whom [God] has chosen [DOU] to be his people. If you do that, you will certainly never become separated from God,
11 for thus shall the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be richly furnished unto you. (aiōnios g166)
and [God] will very wholeheartedly welcome you into the place where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will rule [his people] forever. (aiōnios g166)
12 Wherefore I will be careful to put you always in mind of these things, although knowing [them] and established in the present truth.
I intend to keep on reminding you very frequently [HYP] about these [matters], even though you [already] know them and are firmly convinced that they are true.
13 But I account it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting [you] in remembrance,
I consider it right that I should help you [to continually think about these matters] by reminding you [about them] as long as I am alive [EUP],
14 knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle is speedily [to take place], as also our Lord Jesus Christ has manifested to me;
because I know that I shall die [EUP] soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ clearly has revealed to me.
15 but I will use diligence, that after my departure ye should have also, at any time, [in your power] to call to mind these things.
Moreover, I will (make every effort/try hard) [by writing these things down] to enable you to remember them at all times after I have died [EUP].
16 For we have not made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly imagined fables, but having been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
We [apostles] told you that our Lord Jesus Christ [acts] powerfully and that he is coming back [some day]. We were not basing [what we told you] on stories that we had cleverly (invented/made up). Instead, we told you what we ourselves saw with our own eyes, that [the] Lord Jesus is supremely great.
17 For he received from God [the] Father honour and glory, such a voice being uttered to him by the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight;
God, our Father, greatly honored him when God’s great glory/brightness surrounded him, and God [MTY] said, “This is my Son, whom I love very much; I am very pleased with him.”
18 and this voice we heard uttered from heaven, being with him on the holy mountain.
We [(exc)] ourselves heard [God] [MTY] [say] that from heaven, when we were with [Christ] on that holy/sacred mountain.
19 And we have the prophetic word [made] surer, to which ye do well taking heed (as to a lamp shining in an obscure place) until [the] day dawn and [the] morning star arise in your hearts;
We also have [the Scriptures] that the prophets [wrote about Christ long ago], which are completely reliable/trustworthy. You should (pay attention to/think carefully about) [what they wrote], because [what they wrote enables you to know whether what is taught to you is true or whether it is false] [SIM], like a lamp that is shining in a dark place [enables people to see where they are going] [SIM]. [You should] ([pay attention to/think carefully about]) [what they wrote] until [our Lord Jesus Christ comes back and enables] you [SYN] [to know God fully, which will be like when] [MET] (a day dawns/daylight comes) and the morning star rises [and we can see it clearly].
20 knowing this first, that [the scope of] no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation,
It is important that you realize that no one can interpret/explain by himself [the meaning of] what the prophets wrote [in the Scriptures] without [the help of God’s Spirit] (OR, no [part of the] Scriptures originated with the prophet himself),
21 for prophecy was not ever uttered by [the] will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of [the] Holy Spirit.
because no human beings decided [to make those prophecies]. On the contrary, those who spoke [messages from God] did that because it was the Holy Spirit who caused them to do [it, and therefore the Spirit must help us to interpret/understand their meaning].
