The Bible — World English Bible
2 Peter 1
In brief
2 Peter 1 opens Peter's second letter, written when he knows his end is near. He recalls that God has already given everything that pertains to life and godliness, through his great promises. He then urges us to add to faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection and love. He grounds his teaching on the eyewitness testimony of Jesus' glory and on the worth of the prophetic word inspired by the Spirit.
The chapter in 5 parts
1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
2Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue,
4by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
5Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;
6and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness;
7and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
8For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.
11For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
12Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth.
13I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.
15Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.
16For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:
20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.
21For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
Key verses
seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue,
Peter starts with what God has already done: his divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness. The effort asked of us afterward rests on this gift and not on our resources alone.
by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
God's promises let us become partakers of the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world by lust. The phrase does not mean becoming God, but sharing his holy life.
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness; and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
Peter lays out a series of qualities to add to faith, up to love. The Christian life is presented as growth that we work at, not as a point of arrival.
Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.
Being diligent to make our calling and election sure is a way of not stumbling. Peter sees it as a way of living in the certainty of the calling received, through a life that bears fruit.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
No prophecy ever came by the will of man: holy men of God spoke, moved by the Holy Spirit. This is a central text on the inspiration of Scripture.
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What the sermons say
Frequently asked questions about 2 Peter 1
What does “partakers of the divine nature” mean in 2 Peter 1:4?
Peter does not say that the believer becomes God. He affirms that, thanks to God's promises, believers share God's holy life and can escape the corruption of lust. Christian traditions understand this phrase a little differently, but all see in it a gift of grace.
What is the ladder of virtues in 2 Peter 1?
Peter invites us to add to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly affection and to brotherly affection love. He makes it a path of growth that keeps us from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ.
What does 2 Peter 1:20-21 say about the prophecies of Scripture?
Peter affirms that no prophecy of Scripture comes from a man's own interpretation or will: holy men of God spoke, moved by the Holy Spirit. The text stresses the divine origin of Scripture. It also invites us not to interpret it in an isolated or arbitrary way.
Articles quoting 2 Peter 1
World English Bible translation — public domain.