2 Peter 1
1 Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who obtained an equally precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
This letter comes from Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who share with us the same priceless trust in our God and Savior Jesus Christ, the one who is truly good and right.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the acknowledgment of God and of Jesus our Lord!
May you have ever more grace and peace as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 As His divine power has given to us all things pertaining to life and piety, through the acknowledgment of Him who called us through glory and virtue,
Through his divine power we have been given everything that's important to live a God-centered life. This comes through knowing him who called us to himself by his own glory and goodness. In this way he's given us wonderful, priceless promises.
4 through which the most great and precious promises have been given to us, that through these you may become partakers of a divine nature, having escaped from the corruption [and] lust in the world.
Through these promises you can share in the divine nature, being rid of the corruption caused by this world's evil desires.
5 And [for] this same [reason] also, having brought in all diligence, supplement your faith with virtue, and with virtue—knowledge,
For this same reason, do everything you can! Add to your trust in God, goodness; add to goodness, knowledge;
6 and with knowledge—self-control, and with self-control—endurance, and with endurance—piety,
add to knowledge, self-control; add to self-control, patience; add to patience, reverence;
7 and with piety—brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness—love;
add to reverence, affection for fellow-believers, add to affection for fellow-believers, love.
8 for these things being in you and abounding, make [you] neither inert nor unfruitful in regard to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The more you have these qualities, the more they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins;
For anyone who doesn't have such qualities is short-sighted, or blind. They forget that they've been cleansed from their past sins.
10 therefore, rather, brothers, be diligent to make steadfast your calling and [divine] selection, for doing these things you may never stumble;
So, brothers and sisters, be all the more determined to make sure you are truly “called and chosen.” If you do this, you won't ever fall.
11 in this way the entrance into the continuous kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplemented to you. (aiōnios g166)
You will receive a tremendous welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (aiōnios g166)
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you about these things, although you have known [them] and have been established in the present truth,
That's why I always remind you about these things, even though you know them already, and you stand firm in the truth that you possess.
13 and I think right, so long as I am in this tent, to stir you up in reminding [you],
But I still think it's a good idea to encourage you by giving you reminders while I live.
14 having known that the laying aside of my tent is soon, even as our Lord Jesus Christ also showed to me.
I know the time when I shall leave this life will be coming soon— our Lord Jesus Christ has made this clear to me.
15 And I will also be diligent [to ensure] that you always have a remembrance to make of these things after my departure.
I will do my best so that when I'm gone you will always be able to remember these things.
16 For having not followed out skillfully devised fables, we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but having become eyewitnesses of His majesty—
We didn't follow made-up myths when we told you about the coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ—we saw his majesty for ourselves.
17 for having received honor and glory from God the Father, such a voice being borne to Him by the Excellent Glory: “This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I delighted”;
He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice of majestic glory spoke to him and announced, “This is my Son, the one I love, and who truly pleases me.”
18 and we heard this voice borne out of Heaven, being with Him at the holy mountain.
We ourselves heard this voice speak from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 And we have a more firm prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day may dawn, and [the] morning star may arise in your hearts;
We also have the confirming word of prophecy that's absolutely trustworthy, and you will benefit from paying close attention to it. It's like a lamp that shines in a dark place until the day dawns, and the morning star shines to illuminate your minds.
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Writing comes of private exposition,
Most of all you should realize that no prophecy of scripture is a matter for interpretation based on the whims of an individual,
21 for prophecy never came by [the] will of man, but men spoke from God, being brought by the Holy Spirit.
for no prophecy originated in human ideas, but prophets spoke for God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
