1I, Simon Peter, am writing this letter. I serve Jesus Christ. I am his apostle. I am sending this letter to you. You are those who have received a faith as valuable as ours. You received it because our God and Saviour Jesus Christ does what is right.2May more and more grace and peace be given to you. May they come to you as you learn more about God and about Jesus our Lord.
Showing that God has chosen you
3God’s power has given us everything we need to lead a godly life. All of this has come to us because we know the God who chose us. He chose us because of his own glory and goodness.4He has also given us his very great and valuable promises. He did it so you could share in his nature. You can share in it because you’ve escaped from the evil in the world. This evil is caused by sinful desires.5So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge.6To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness.7To godliness, add kindness for one another. And to kindness for one another, add love.8All these things should describe you more and more. They will make you useful and fruitful as you know our Lord Jesus Christ better.9But what if these things don’t describe someone at all? Then that person can’t see very well. In fact, they are blind. They have forgotten that their past sins have been washed away.10My brothers and sisters, try very hard to show that God has appointed you to be saved. Try hard to show that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall.11You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts for ever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Prophecy of Scripture comes from God
12So I will always remind you of these things. I’ll do it even though you know them. I’ll do it even though you now have deep roots in the truth.13I think it is right for me to remind you. It is right as long as I live in this tent. I’m talking about my body.14I know my tent will soon be removed. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me.15I hope that you will always be able to remember these things after I’m gone. I will try very hard to see that you do.16We told you about the time our Lord Jesus Christ came with power. But we didn’t make up clever stories when we told you about it. With our own eyes we saw him in all his majesty.17God the Father gave him honour and glory. The voice of the Majestic Glory came to him. It said, ‘This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.’ (Mt 17:5; Mr 9:7; Lu 9:35)18We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven. We were with him on the sacred mountain.19We also have the message of the prophets. This message can be trusted completely. You must pay attention to it. The message is like a light shining in a dark place. It will shine until the day Jesus comes. Then the Morning Star will rise in your hearts.20Above all, here is what you must understand. No prophecy in Scripture ever came from a prophet’s own understanding of things.21Prophecy never came simply because a prophet wanted it to. Instead, the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they spoke. So, although prophets are human, prophecy comes from God.
2 Peter 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1Simeon[1] Peter, a servant[2] and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: (Ro 1:12; Ro 3:21; 2Co 4:13; Tit 1:4; Tit 2:13)2May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (Joh 17:3; Php 3:8; 1Pe 1:2; 2Pe 1:3; 2Pe 1:8; 2Pe 2:20; Jud 1:2)
Confirm Your Calling and Election
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[3] his own glory and excellence,[4] (1Th 2:12; 2Th 2:14; 2Ti 1:9; 1Pe 5:10)4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great 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 sinful desire. (Eph 4:24; Heb 12:10; 2Pe 2:18; 2Pe 2:20; 1Jo 3:2)5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[5] and virtue with knowledge, (Php 4:8; 1Pe 3:7)6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, (Heb 10:36; Jas 1:3)7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. (Heb 13:1; 1Jo 4:16)8For if these qualities[6] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Joh 15:2; Tit 3:14)9For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (Job 5:14; Job 12:25; Isa 59:10; Zep 1:17; Eph 5:26; Tit 2:14; Heb 9:14; 1Jo 1:7; 1Jo 2:9; Re 7:14)10Therefore, brothers,[7] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (1Th 1:4; 2Pe 3:17; 1Jo 2:10)11For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Ac 14:22; Col 1:13)12Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. (Ro 15:14; Php 3:1; 1Jo 2:21; 2Jo 1:2; Jud 1:5)13I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[8] to stir you up by way of reminder, (2Co 5:1; 2Co 5:4; 2Pe 3:1)14since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. (De 4:21; De 31:14; Joh 21:18; 2Ti 4:6)15And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Christ’s Glory and the Prophetic Word
16For 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. (Mt 17:1; Mt 17:6; Mr 9:2; Lu 9:28; Joh 1:14; 1Co 1:17; 1Co 2:4; 1Th 2:19; 1Ti 1:4)17For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son,[9] with whom I am well pleased,” (Mt 3:17; Mt 17:5; Mr 9:7; Lu 9:35)18we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (Ex 3:5; Jos 5:15)19And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (Ps 119:105; Mal 4:2; Joh 5:35; 2Co 4:6; 1Pe 1:10; Re 2:28; Re 22:16)20knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2Sa 23:2; Lu 1:70; Ac 1:16; Ac 3:18; 2Ti 3:16; 1Pe 1:11)