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 an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour 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 unto you through 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].
According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to 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.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these all of you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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 beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue 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 wilful restrain; and to wilful restrain patience; and to patience 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].
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. (agape)
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 these things be in you, and abound, they make you that all of you shall neither be barren nor 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.
But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old 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,
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if all of you do these things, all of you shall never fall:
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 so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (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.
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though all of you know them, and be established in the present 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],
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14 because I know that I shall die [EUP] soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ clearly has revealed to me.
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has 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].
Moreover I will endeavour that all of you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
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 followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but 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 from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent 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.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when 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].
We have also a more sure word (logos) of prophecy; unto which all of you do well that all of you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star 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),
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private 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 the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (pneuma)
