Greeting the Faithful
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant andapostle of Jesus Christ,
# To those who have obtainedlike precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as Hisdivine power has given to us all things thatpertainto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Himwho called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may bepartakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptionthatisin the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason,giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtueknowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, andto brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound,youwill be neither barrennor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things isshortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligentto make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter’s Approaching Death
12 For this reasonI will not be negligent to remind you always of these things,though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right,as long as I am in this tent,to stir you up by remindingyou,
14 knowing that shortly Imustput off my tent, just asour Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
The Trustworthy Prophetic Word
16 For we did not followcunningly devised fables when we made known to you thepower andcoming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but wereeyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory:“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him onthe holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as alight that shines in a dark place,untilthe day dawns and the morning star rises in yourhearts;
20 knowing this first, thatno prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 forprophecy never came by the will of man,but holy men of God spokeastheyweremoved by the Holy Spirit.