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:

Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who did obtain a like precious faith with us in the 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 to you, and peace be multiplied in the acknowledgement 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 all things to us His divine power (the things pertaining unto life and piety) hath given, through the acknowledgement of him who did call us through glory and worthiness,

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 to us the most great and precious promises have been given, that through these ye may become partakers of a divine nature, having escaped from the corruption in the world in desires.

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),

And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge,

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

and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance the endurance, and in the endurance the piety,

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

and in the piety the brotherly kindness, and in the brotherly kindness the 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 being to you and abounding, do make neither inert nor unfruitful in regard to the acknowledging 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, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of 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, the rather, brethren, be diligent to make stedfast your calling and choice, for these things doing, ye may 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 so, richly shall be superadded to you the entrance into the age-during reign 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 will not be careless always to remind you concerning these things, though, having known them, and having been 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,

and I think right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up in reminding,

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.

having known that soon is the laying aside of my tabernacle, even as also our Lord Jesus Christ did shew 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.

and I will be diligent that also at every time ye have, after my outgoing, power to make to yourselves the remembrance of 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, skilfully devised fables not having followed out, we did make known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but eye-witnesses having become 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 having received from God the Father honour and glory, such a voice being borne to him by the excellent glory: `This is My Son -- the beloved, in whom I was 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 -- we did hear, out of heaven borne, being 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 more firm the prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till day may dawn, and a morning star may 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).

this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition,

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 not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake.