1 S imon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Simon 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:

2 G race and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

May 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.

3 a s His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

For 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).

4 b y which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Fruitful Growth in the Faith

By 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.

5 B ut also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

For 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),

6 t o knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

And in knowledge self-control, and in self-control steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in steadfastness godliness (piety),

7 t o godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

And in godliness brotherly affection, and in brotherly affection Christian love.

8 F or if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For 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).

9 F or he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

For 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.

10 T herefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

Because 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.

11 f or so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter’s Approaching Death

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

12 F or this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.

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

13 Y es, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,

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

14 k nowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

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

15 M oreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. The Trustworthy Prophetic Word

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

16 F or we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For 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).

17 F or He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

For 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,

18 A nd we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

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

19 A nd so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

And 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.

20 k nowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

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

21 f or prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

For 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.