1 S imon Peter, a servant and apostle (special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to those who have received (obtained an equal privilege of) like precious faith with ourselves in and through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

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

2 M ay grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in '> precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 F or His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that to life and godliness, through the '> full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).

seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue;

4 B y means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.

whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.

5 F or this very reason, adding your diligence, employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in virtue knowledge (intelligence),

Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;

6 A nd in knowledge self-control, and in self-control steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in steadfastness godliness (piety),

and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;

7 A nd in godliness brotherly affection, and in brotherly affection Christian love.

and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.

8 F or as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep from being idle or unfruitful unto the '> full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 F or whoever lacks these qualities is blind, '> spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious that he was cleansed from his old sins.

For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

10 B ecause of this, brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure (to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast) your calling and election; for if you do this, you will never stumble or fall.

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

11 T hus there will be richly and abundantly provided for you entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12 S o I intend always to remind you about these things, although indeed you know them and are firm in the truth that now.

Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you.

13 I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle (tent, body), to stir you up by way of remembrance,

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

14 S ince I know that the laying aside of this body of mine will come speedily, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me.

15 M oreover, I will diligently endeavor that after my departure (decease) you may be able at all times to call these things to mind.

Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.

16 F or we were not following cleverly devised stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (grandeur, authority of sovereign power).

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

17 F or when He was invested with honor and glory from God the Father and a voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased and delight,

For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:

18 W e heard this voice borne out of heaven, for we were together with Him on the holy mountain.

and this voice we ourselves heard borne out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 A nd we have the prophetic word firmer still. You will do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, until the day breaks through and the Morning Star rises ( comes into being) in your hearts.

And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:

20 f irst understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving).

knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.

21 F or no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it, but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit.

For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.