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, bondman and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have received like precious faith with us through righteousness of our God and 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 and peace be multiplied to you in 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).

As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us by 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.

through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through 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),

But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge,

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

in knowledge temperance, in temperance endurance, in endurance godliness,

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

in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love 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 these things existing and abounding in you make to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards 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 with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former 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 the rather, brethren, use diligence to make your calling and election sure, for doing these things ye will never fall;

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 the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be richly furnished unto you.

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 will be careful to put you always in mind of these things, although knowing and established in the present truth.

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

But I account it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting 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 is speedily, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has manifested to 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.

but I will use diligence, that after my departure ye should have also, at any time, to call to mind these things.

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 have not made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly imagined fables, but having been 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 Father honour and glory, such a voice being uttered to him by the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight;

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

and this voice we heard uttered from heaven, being with him on the holy mountain.

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 prophetic word surer, to which ye do well taking heed (as to a lamp shining in an obscure place) until day dawn and morning 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 had from its own particular 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 prophecy was not ever uttered by will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of Holy Spirit.