Petri Ii 1
1 Simon Petrus, servus et apostolus Jesu Christi, iis qui coæqualem nobiscum sortiti sunt fidem in justitia Dei nostri, et Salvatoris Jesu Christi.
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 Gratia vobis, et pax adimpleatur in cognitione Dei, et Christi Jesu Domini nostri:
May blessing and peace be yours in ever-increasing measure, as you advance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.
3 Quomodo omnia nobis divinæ virtutis suæ, quæ ad vitam et pietatem donata sunt, per cognitionem ejus, qui vocavit nos propria gloria, et virtute,
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 per quem maxima, et pretiosa nobis promissa donavit: ut per hæc efficiamini divinæ consortes naturæ: fugientes ejus, quæ in mundo est, concupiscentiæ corruptionem.
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 Vos autem curam omnem subinferentes, ministrate in fide vestra virtutem, in virtute autem scientiam,
Yes, and for this very reason do your best to supplement your faith by goodness, goodness by knowledge,
6 in scientia autem abstinentiam, in abstinentia autem patientiam, in patientia autem pietatem,
knowledge by self-control, self-control by endurance, endurance by piety,
7 in pietate autem amorem fraternitatis, in amore autem fraternitatis caritatem.
piety by brotherly affection, and brotherly affection by love.
8 Hæc enim si vobiscum adsint, et superent, non vacuos nec sine fructu vos constituent in Domini nostri Jesu Christi cognitione.
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 Cui enim non præsto sunt hæc, cæcus est, et manu tentans, oblivionem accipiens purgationis veterum suorum delictorum.
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 Quapropter fratres, magis satagite ut per bona opera certam vestram vocationem, et electionem faciatis: hæc enim facientes, non peccabitis aliquando.
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 Sic enim abundanter ministrabitur vobis introitus in æternum regnum Domini nostri et Salvatoris Jesu Christi. (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 Propter quod incipiam vos semper commonere de his: et quidem scientes et confirmatos vos in præsenti veritate.
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 Justum autem arbitror quamdiu sum in hoc tabernaculo, suscitare vos in commonitione:
But I think it my duty, as long as I live in this ‘tent,’ to rouse you by awakening memories of the past;
14 certus quod velox est depositio tabernaculi mei secundum quod et Dominus noster Jesus Christus significavit mihi.
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 Dabo autem operam et frequenter habere vos post obitum meum, ut horum memoriam faciatis.
So I will do my best to enable you, at any time after my departure, to call these truths to mind.
16 Non enim doctas fabulas secuti notam fecimus vobis Domini nostri Jesu Christi virtutem et præsentiam: sed speculatores facti illius magnitudinis.
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 Accipiens enim a Deo Patre honorem et gloriam, voce delapsa ad eum hujuscemodi a magnifica gloria: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui, ipsum audite.
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 Et hanc vocem nos audivimus de cælo allatam, cum essemus cum ipso in monte sancto.
These were the words that we heard, borne to our ears from Heaven, when we were with him on that Sacred Mountain.
19 Et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem: cui benefacitis attendentes quasi lucernæ lucenti in caliginoso loco donec dies elucescat, et lucifer oriatur in cordibus vestris:
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 hoc primum intelligentes quod omnis prophetia Scripturæ propria interpretatione non fit.
But first be assured of this: — There is no prophetic teaching found in Scripture that can be interpreted by man’s unaided reason;
21 Non enim voluntate humana allata est aliquando prophetia: sed Spiritu Sancto inspirati, locuti sunt sancti Dei homines.
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.
