2 Peter 1
1
Greeting
1From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ.
To those who have obtained a faith that is as valuable as ours, a faith based on the approval that comes from our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2May good will #1:2 Or “grace.” and peace fill your lives through your knowledge about Jesus, our God and Lord!
God’s Power Gives Us the Ability to Live Godly Lives
3God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and for godliness. This power was given to us through knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and integrity. 4Through his glory and integrity he has given us his promises that are of the highest value. Through these promises you will share in the divine nature because you have escaped the corruption that sinful desires cause in the world.
5Because of this, make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; 6to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness; 7to godliness add Christian affection; and to Christian affection add love. 8If you have these qualities and they are increasing, it demonstrates that your knowledge about our Lord Jesus Christ is living and productive. 9If these qualities aren’t present in your life, you’re shortsighted and have forgotten that you were cleansed from your past sins. 10Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God’s calling and choosing of you secure.
If you keep doing this, you will never fall away. 11Then you will also be given the wealth of entering into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12Therefore, I will always remind you about these qualities, although you already know about them and are well-grounded in the truth that you now have. 13As long as I’m still alive, I think it’s right to refresh your memory. 14I know that I will die soon. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me. 15So I will make every effort to see that you remember these things after I die.
Pay Attention to God’s Words
16When we apostles told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we didn’t base our message on clever myths that we made up. Rather, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes. 17For example, we were eyewitnesses when he received honor and glory from God the Father and when the voice of our majestic God spoke these words to him: “This is my Son, whom I love and in whom I delight.” 18We heard that voice speak to him from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19So we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt. You’re doing well by paying attention to their words. Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts. 20First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. 21No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God’s direction.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
2 Peter 1
1
Greetings and prayer
1From Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
To everyone who shares with us in the privilege of believing that our God and Saviour Jesus Christ will do what is just and fair.#1.1 To everyone who…just and fair: Or “To everyone whose faith in the justice and fairness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ is as precious as our own faith.”
2I pray that God will be kind to you and will let you live in perfect peace! May you keep learning more and more about God and our Lord Jesus.
How the Lord's followers should live
3We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learnt that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4God made great and marvellous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.
5Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, 6self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7concern for others, and love. 8If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. 9But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven.
10My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. 11Then our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last for ever.
12You are holding firmly to the truth that you were given. But I am still going to remind you of these things. 13In fact, I think I should keep on reminding you until I leave this body. 14And our Lord Jesus Christ has already told me that I will soon leave it behind. 15That is why I am doing my best to make sure that each of you remembers all this after I am gone.
The glory of Christ
16When we told you about the power and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling clever stories that someone had made up. But with our own eyes we saw his true greatness. 17God, our great and wonderful Father, truly honoured him by saying, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”#Mt 17.1-5; Mk 9.2-7; Lk 9.28-35. 18We were there with Jesus on the holy mountain and heard this voice speak from heaven.
19All this makes us even more certain that what the prophets said is true. So you should pay close attention to their message, as you would to a lamp shining in some dark place. You must keep on paying attention until daylight comes and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20But you need to realize that no one alone can understand any of the prophecies in the Scriptures. 21The prophets did not think these things up on their own, but they were guided by the Spirit of God.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012