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.
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
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.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
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].
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue.
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.
Through these he has given us his precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.
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).
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, your virtue with 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.
your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness,
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].
your godliness with brotherly affection, and your brotherly affection with 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 if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten the cleansing 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,
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm that you are among those whom God has called and chosen, because if you do these things, you will never stumble.
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 in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. (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.
Therefore, I will not neglect to keep reminding you about these things, though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.
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],
I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent, to stir you up by way of reminder,
14 because I know that I shall die [EUP] soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ clearly has revealed to me.
because I know that this tent will soon be laid aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to 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 will make every effort to ensure that after my departure you will be able to recall these things at any time.
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 did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses 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 he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice came to him from the Majestic Glory: “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 ourselves heard this voice come from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
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].
So we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed. You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises 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),
First of all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.
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 no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
