1 Simon Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to you which haue obteined like precious faith with vs by the righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you, through the acknowledging of God, and of Iesus our Lord, 3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that perteine vnto life and godlinesse, through the acknowledging of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue. 4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs, that by them ye should be partakers of the diuine nature, in that ye flee the corruption, which is in the worlde through lust. 5 Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto: ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith: and with vertue, knowledge: 6 And with knowledge, temperance: and with temperance, patience: and with patience, godlines: 7 And with godlines, brotherly kindnes: and with brotherly kindnes, loue. 8 For if these things be among you, and abound, they will make you that ye neither shalbe idle, nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Iesus Christ: 9 For he that hath not these things, is blinde, and can not see farre off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes. 10 Wherefore, brethren, giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye doe these things, ye shall neuer fall. 11 For by this meanes an entring shalbe ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. 12 Wherefore, I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things, though that ye haue knowledge, and be stablished in the present trueth. 13 For I thinke it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance, 14 Seeing I knowe that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my tabernacle, euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me. 15 I will endeuour therefore alwayes, that ye also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departing. 16 For we followed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power, and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, but with our eyes we saw his maiestie: 17 For he receiued of God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voyce to him from that excellent glory, This is my beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen, being with him in the Holy mount. 19 We haue also a most sure worde of the Prophets, to the which ye doe well that yee take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill the day dawne, and the day starre arise in your hearts. 20 So that yee first knowe this, that no prophecie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation. 21 For the prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost.
1 From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ—
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have been given a faith as precious as ours:
2 May grace and peace be yours in full measure through your knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
God's Call and Choice
3 God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a truly religious life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his own glory and goodness. 4 In this way he has given us the very great and precious gifts he promised, so that by means of these gifts you may escape from the destructive lust that is in the world, and may come to share the divine nature. 5 For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; 6 to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; 7 to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love. 8 These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins.
10 So then, my friends, try even harder to make God's call and his choice of you a permanent experience; if you do so, you will never abandon your faith. 11 In this way you will be given the full right to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 And so I will always remind you of these matters, even though you already know them and are firmly grounded in the truth you have received. 13 I think it only right for me to stir up your memory of these matters as long as I am still alive. 14 I know that I shall soon put off this mortal body, as our Lord Jesus Christ plainly told me. 15 I will do my best, then, to provide a way for you to remember these matters at all times after my death.
Eyewitnesses of Christ's Glory
16 We have not depended on made-up stories in making known to you the mighty coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With our own eyes we saw his greatness. 17 We were there when he was given honor and glory by God the Father, when the voice came to him from the Supreme Glory, saying, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased!” 18 We ourselves heard this voice coming from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 So we are even more confident of the message proclaimed by the prophets. You will do well to pay attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place until the Day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all else, however, remember that none of us can explain by ourselves a prophecy in the Scriptures. 21 For no prophetic message ever came just from the human will, but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.