2 Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained equal faith with us in the justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To those to whom, through the justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, there has been granted faith equally privileged with our own, from Simon Peter, a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace be accomplished in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord:
May blessing and peace be yours in ever-increasing measure, as you advance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.
3 As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue.
For his divine power has given us everything that is needful for a life of piety, as we advance in the knowledge of him who called us by a glorious manifestation of his goodness.
4 By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world.
For it was through this that he gave us what we prize as the greatest of his promises, that through them you might participate in the divine nature, now that you have fled from the corruption in the world, resulting from human passions.
5 And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;
Yes, and for this very reason do your best to supplement your faith by goodness, goodness by knowledge,
6 And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness;
knowledge by self-control, self-control by endurance, endurance by piety,
7 And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity.
piety by brotherly affection, and brotherly affection by love.
8 For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For, when these virtues are yours, in increasing measure, they prevent your being indifferent to, or destitute of, a fuller knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Surely the man who has not these virtues is shortsighted even to blindness, and has chosen to forget that he has been purified from his sins of the past!
10 Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time.
Therefore, Brothers, do your best to put God’s Call and Selection of you beyond all doubt; for, if you do this, you will never fall.
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (aiōnios g166)
For thus you will be given a triumphant admission into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (aiōnios g166)
12 For which cause I will begin to put you always in remembrance of these things: though indeed you know them, and are confirmed in the present truth.
I shall, therefore, always be ready to remind you of all this, even though you know it and are firmly established in the Truth that you now hold.
13 But I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.
But I think it my duty, as long as I live in this ‘tent,’ to rouse you by awakening memories of the past;
14 Being assured that the laying away of this my tabernacle is at hand, according as our Lord Jesus Christ also hath signified to me.
for I know that the time for this ‘tent’ of mine to be put away is soon coming, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself assured me.
15 And I will endeavour, that you frequently have after my decease, whereby you may keep a memory of these things.
So I will do my best to enable you, at any time after my departure, to call these truths to mind.
16 For we have not by following artificial fables, made known to you the power, and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but we were eyewitnesses of his greatness.
For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we told you of the Coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father, honour and glory: this voice coming down to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when from the Glory of the Divine Majesty there were borne to his ears words such as these — ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom I delight.’
18 And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount.
These were the words that we heard, borne to our ears from Heaven, when we were with him on that Sacred Mountain.
19 And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
And still stronger is the assurance that we have in the teaching of the Prophets; to which you will do well to pay attention (as if it were a lamp shining in a gloomy place), until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.
20 Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
But first be assured of this: — There is no prophetic teaching found in Scripture that can be interpreted by man’s unaided reason;
21 For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.
for no prophetic teaching ever came in the old days at the mere wish of man, but men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke direct from God.
