2 Peter1

Simon Peter greets believers, emphasizing their precious faith and the divine power that provides all things for life and godliness, enabling them to partake in the divine nature. He exhorts them to diligently add a series of virtues to their faith, such as knowledge, patience, and charity, to ensure fruitfulness and a sure entrance into God's kingdom. Peter affirms that his message is based on eyewitness testimony of Christ's majesty, not fables, and highlights the divine origin of prophecy as a reliable guide.

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Salutation and God's Provision

¶ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The Ladder of Christian Virtues

¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Peter's Purpose and Impending Death

¶ Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

The Surety of Apostolic Testimony

¶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

¶ We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Study Notes for 2 Peter 1

Verse 1

Peter identifies himself as both a servant (*doulos*) and an apostle, emphasizing his authority and humility. The phrase “like precious faith” stresses the equality of all believers in their standing before God, attained through Christ’s righteousness.

Verse 3

God's “divine power” has already provided everything necessary for Christian living (“life and godliness”). This emphasizes the sufficiency of God's initial calling and provision through the saving knowledge of Christ.

Verse 4

To be “partakers of the divine nature” does not mean becoming deity, but sharing in God’s moral attributes (holiness, love, truth), providing the power necessary to escape worldly corruption.

Verse 5

Peter introduces a progressive list of virtues, often called the “Christian ladder,” urging diligent effort to build upon the foundation of faith. This list emphasizes active human responsibility in spiritual growth.

Verse 7

The progression culminates in *agape* ('charity' or divine love), the selfless, comprehensive love that binds all the preceding virtues together and is the ultimate expression of Christian maturity.

Verse 9

The one who fails to grow in these virtues is described as spiritually 'blind' (myopic), having lost sight of the profound cleansing and forgiveness received when first called to Christ.

Verse 10

To 'make your calling and election sure' refers not to securing God’s choice, but to demonstrating the reality of that choice through persistent spiritual maturity and fruitful living.

Verse 12

Peter explains his urgency in writing, emphasizing that while his readers are already established in truth, they need constant reminders to ensure perseverance against false teaching.

Verse 13

The term “tabernacle” is a common biblical metaphor for the human body, indicating that Peter views his earthly life as a temporary dwelling.

Verse 14

Peter acknowledges his imminent death, likely referencing the prophecy Jesus made concerning his martyrdom (John 21:18-19).

Verse 16

Peter defends the apostolic message against accusations that it is based on mythology ('cunningly devised fables'), asserting that their teaching is grounded in verifiable, historical reality, particularly Christ's power and future return.

Verse 17

This account refers directly to the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8), where Peter, James, and John were witnesses to Christ’s inherent majesty and divine affirmation from the Father.

Verse 19

The 'more sure word of prophecy' confirms the eyewitness accounts, acting as a reliable light in a dark world until the full revelation of Christ ('day star') occurs at His return or in the believer's heart.

Verse 20

This verse establishes the principle of divine inspiration: prophetic Scripture cannot be interpreted according to the private opinion of the prophet or the reader, but must be understood in its divine context.

Verse 21

The ultimate source of Scripture is the Holy Spirit, not human intention ('will of man'). This affirms the supernatural authority and reliability of the prophetic writings.

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2 Peter1

Salutation and God's Provision

The Ladder of Christian Virtues

Peter's Purpose and Impending Death

The Surety of Apostolic Testimony

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