Chapter 1

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained an equal privilege of faith with ourselves through the justice of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be given you in abundance in the knowledge of our Lord. Life of a Christian

For indeed his divine power has granted us all things pertaining to life and piety through the knowledge of him who has called us by his own glory and power---

through which he has granted us the very great and precious promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption of that lust which is in the world.

Do you accordingly on your part strive diligently to supply your faith with virtue, your virtue with knowledge,

your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with patience, your patience with piety,

your piety with fraternal love, your fraternal love with charity. Necessity of Virtue

For if you possess these virtues and they abound in you, they will render you neither inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he who lacks them is blind, groping his way, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his former sins.

Therefore, brethren, strive even more by good works to make your calling and election sure. For if you do this, you will not fall into sin at any time.

Indeed, in this way will be amply provided for you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore I shall begin to remind you always of these things; although indeed you know them and are well established in the present truth.

As long as I am in this tabernacle, I think it right to arouse you by a reminder,

knowing as I do that the putting off of my tabernacle is at hand, just as our Lord Jesus Christ signified to me.

Moreover I will endeavor that even after my death you may often have occasion to call these things to mind. Sovereignty of Christ

For we were not following fictitious tales when we made know to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his grandeur.

For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when from out the majestic glory a voice came down to him, speaking thus: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

And this voice we ourselves heard borne from heaven when we were with him on the holy mount.

And we have the word of prophecy, surer still, to which you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

This, then, you must understand first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is made by private interpretation.

For not by will of man was prophecy brought at any time; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.