1 T his letter is from Simon Peter. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ and a servant owned by Him. I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours which is of great worth and which no amount of money can buy. This faith comes from our God and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.
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 you have more and more of His loving-favor and peace as you come to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better. Christians Are to Grow
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3 H e gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life.
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 T hrough His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.
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 D o your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding.
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
6 A s you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like.
and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;
7 A s you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them.
and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.
8 I f you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 B ut if you do not have these things, you are blind and cannot see far. You forget God saved you from your old life of sin.
For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 C hristian brothers, make sure you are among those He has chosen and called out for His own. As long as you do these things, you will never trip and 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 I n this way, the road will be made wide open for you. And you will go into the holy nation that lasts forever of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.
for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Y ou already know about these things but I want to keep telling you about them. You are strong in the faith 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 is right as long as I am alive to keep you thinking about these things.
And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14 I know that I will soon be leaving this body. Our Lord Jesus Christ has told me this.
knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me.
15 I will try to make a way for you to remember these things after I am gone.
Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.
16 W e had nothing to do with man-made stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His coming again. We have seen His great power with our own eyes.
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 W hen He received honor and shining-greatness from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the All-powerful God, saying, “This is My much-loved Son. I am very happy with Him.”
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 come from heaven when we were with Christ 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 ll this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Morning Star (Christ) will rise to shine 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 U nderstand this first: No part of the Holy Writings was ever made up by any man.
knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.
21 N o part of the Holy Writings came long ago because of what man wanted to write. But holy men who belonged to God spoke what the Holy Spirit told them.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.