2 Peter 1
1 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.
SIMON PETER, a servant and legate of Jesus the Messiah, to those who have obtained equally precious faith with us, through the righteousness of Our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus the Messiah;
2 [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.
May grace and peace abound to you through the recognition of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,
3 [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].
as the giver to us of all things that be of the power of God, unto life and the fear of God, through the recognition of him who hath called us unto his own glory and moral excellence:
4 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.
wherein he hath given you very great and precious promises; that by them ye might become partakers of the nature of God, while ye flee from the corruptions of the lusts that are in the world.
5 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).
And, while ye apply all diligence in the matter, add to your faith moral excellence; and to moral excellence, knowledge;
6 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.
and to knowledge, perseverance; and to perseverance, patience; and to patience, the fear of God;
7 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].
and to the fear of God, sympathy with the brotherhood; and to sympathy with the brotherhood, love.
8 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.
For, while these are found in you, and abounding, they render you not slothful, and not unfruitful, in the recognition of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
9 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.
For he, in whom these things are not found, is blind and seeth not, and hath forgotten the purgation of his former sins.
10 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,
And therefore, my brethren, be ye exceedingly diligent to make your calling and election sure, by your good actions: for, by so doing, ye will never fall away.
11 and [God] will very wholeheartedly welcome you into the place where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will rule [his people] forever. (aiōnios g166)
For thus will entrance be given you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus the Messiah. (aiōnios g166)
12 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.
And for this reason I am not wearied in reminding you continually of these things; although ye know them well, and are established in this truth.
13 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],
And it seemeth right to me, so long as I am in this body, to excite you by monition;
14 because I know that I shall die [EUP] soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ clearly has revealed to me.
since I know, that the demise of my body is speedy, as also my Lord Jesus the Messiah hath showed me.
15 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].
And I am anxious, that, after my departure, ye too may have it always with you to make mention of these things.
16 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.
For we have not gone after fables artfully framed, in making known to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus the Messiah; but it was after we had been spectators of his majesty.
17 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.”
For, when he received from God the Father honor and glory, and, after the splendid glory of his majesty, a voice came to him thus: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;
18 We [(exc)] ourselves heard [God] [MTY] [say] that from heaven, when we were with [Christ] on that holy/sacred mountain.
we also heard this identical voice from heaven, which came to him while we were with him in the holy mount.
19 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].
And we have moreover a sure word of prophecy; and ye will do well, if ye look to it as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day shall dawn, and the sun shall arise in your hearts;
20 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),
ye having the previous knowledge, that no prophecy is an exposition of its own text.
21 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].
For at no time was it by the pleasure of man, that the prophecy came; but holy men of God spoke, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
