Chapter with Audio
1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirm Your Calling and Election
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Chapter Analysis
2 Peter 1: Growing In Grace And Holding Fast To The Prophetic Word
Grace And Peace Through The Knowledge Of God
📖 2 Peter 1:1–2
¹ Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, writes to those who have received the same precious faith through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. ² Grace and peace are multiplied to them through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
🔹 The Truth
Peter identifies himself as both a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Believers have received a precious faith.
This faith comes through the righteousness of God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace are multiplied through knowing God and Jesus our Lord.
The knowledge of Christ is not empty information; it is the place where grace and peace grow.
🔹 The Promise
Grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
✅ Conclusion
Peter begins by pointing believers to the precious faith they share in Christ. Grace and peace grow as believers know God and Jesus Christ more deeply.
God Has Given All Things For Life And Godliness
📖 2 Peter 1:3–4
³ God’s divine power has given believers everything needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called them by glory and virtue. ⁴ By these, He has given them exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through them they may share in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through sinful desire.
🔹 The Truth
God’s divine power supplies what believers need.
Life and godliness come through knowing Christ.
God calls His people by His glory and virtue.
God has given exceedingly great and precious promises.
Through God’s promises, believers share in His life and character.
The world is corrupted through sinful desire.
Believers have escaped that corruption through Christ.
🔹 The Promise
God has given believers everything needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ.
✅ Conclusion
Believers are not left powerless. God has given them His power, His promises, and His calling so they may live godly lives in a corrupt world.
Add To Your Faith
📖 2 Peter 1:5–9
⁵ For this very reason, believers must give all diligence to add virtue to their faith, and knowledge to virtue. ⁶ To knowledge they must add self-control, to self-control perseverance, and to perseverance godliness. ⁷ To godliness they must add brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ If these things are in them and increasing, they will keep them from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever lacks these things is shortsighted, even blind, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
🔹 The Truth
Faith is to grow and bear fruit.
Believers are to be diligent in spiritual growth.
Virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love should increase.
A fruitful life flows from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lack of growth leads to spiritual blindness and forgetfulness.
Believers must remember they have been cleansed from their old sins.
🔹 The Promise
When these qualities are increasing, believers will not be useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ.
✅ Conclusion
Peter calls believers to active growth. God gives the power and promises, and believers are to diligently grow in the qualities that reflect Christ.
Make Your Calling And Election Sure
📖 2 Peter 1:10–11
¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, they must be even more diligent to make their calling and election sure. If they do these things, they will never stumble. ¹¹ In this way, an entrance will be richly supplied to them into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
🔹 The Truth
Believers should be diligent about their calling and election.
Spiritual growth gives assurance and stability.
A life growing in Christ helps guard against stumbling.
The kingdom belongs to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The believer’s hope is entrance into His everlasting kingdom.
🔹 The Promise
An entrance will be richly supplied into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
✅ Conclusion
Peter does not call believers to careless faith, but to diligent assurance. Growth in Christ strengthens confidence and points toward the everlasting kingdom.
Peter’s Reminder Before His Departure
📖 2 Peter 1:12–15
¹² Peter says he will not be careless about reminding them of these things, even though they already know them and are established in the present truth. ¹³ He thinks it is right, as long as he is in this earthly body, to stir them up by reminding them. ¹⁴ He knows that the time to put off his earthly body is soon, just as the Lord Jesus Christ had shown him. ¹⁵ He will also make every effort so that after his departure, they may always be able to remember these things.
🔹 The Truth
Believers need reminders of truth they already know.
Being established in truth does not mean reminders are unnecessary.
Faithful teaching stirs believers up.
Peter knew his earthly life would soon end.
He wanted believers to remember the truth after his departure.
God’s truth must be passed on faithfully.
🔹 The Promise
God uses repeated reminders of His truth to strengthen and stir up His people.
✅ Conclusion
Peter knew his time was short, so he used his remaining life to remind believers of what mattered most. Truth must be remembered, repeated, and preserved.
Eyewitnesses Of Christ’s Majesty
📖 2 Peter 1:16–18
¹⁶ Peter says they did not follow cleverly made stories when they made known the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they were eyewitnesses of His majesty. ¹⁷ Jesus received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory, saying that He was His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased. ¹⁸ Peter and the others heard this voice from heaven when they were with Him on the holy mountain.
🔹 The Truth
The message of Christ is not based on invented stories.
Peter and the apostles were eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty.
Jesus received honor and glory from God the Father.
The Father declared Jesus to be His beloved Son.
Peter heard the voice from heaven on the holy mountain.
The power and coming of Jesus Christ are certain.
🔹 The Promise
The glory, majesty, and coming of Jesus Christ are not myths, but truth witnessed and confirmed by God.
✅ Conclusion
Peter reminds believers that the gospel rests on truth, not imagination. He saw Christ’s majesty and heard the Father’s voice declaring Jesus as His beloved Son.
The Prophetic Word Made More Sure
📖 2 Peter 1:19–21
¹⁹ Believers also have the prophetic word made more sure, and they do well to pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in their hearts. ²⁰ They must know this first: no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own private interpretation. ²¹ Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
🔹 The Truth
The prophetic word is sure and trustworthy.
Believers must pay careful attention to Scripture.
God’s word is like a lamp shining in a dark place.
Scripture did not come from man’s own private origin or invention.
Prophecy did not come by human will.
Holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the source behind true Scripture.
🔹 The Promise
God has given His people a sure prophetic word to guide them like light in a dark place.
✅ Conclusion
Peter ends the chapter by pointing believers to Scripture. The prophetic word is not man-made. God spoke through holy men by the Holy Spirit, and believers must pay close attention to His word.
Overall Conclusion
2 Peter 1 teaches that believers have received a precious faith through the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
God has given His people everything needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ. He has also given exceedingly great and precious promises, so believers may escape the corruption of the world and live in a way that reflects Him.
Peter calls believers to diligent growth. Faith is to be joined with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These qualities should increase so believers will be fruitful in knowing Christ.
Peter also reminds believers that truth must be remembered. Even established believers need to be stirred up by repeated reminders.
The chapter closes by showing that the message of Christ is not a clever story. Peter was an eyewitness of Christ’s majesty, and believers have the sure prophetic word of Scripture, spoken by men carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Final Questions For You
- How does knowing Christ help believers grow in life and godliness?
- Why should faith be joined with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love?
- How does the prophetic word of Scripture shine like a lamp in a dark place?