SIMON Peter, the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have
obtained with us the same precious faith by the righteousness of our
God and Saviour Jesus Christ: (2)grace unto you and peace be multiplied
through the knowledge of God, even Jesus our Lord, (3)as his divine
power hath freely given us all things tending to life and godliness,
through the acknowledgment of him who hath called us to glory and
fortitude: (4)whereby superlatively great and precious promises are
freely given to us: that by these ye might become partakers of a divine
nature, having fled far away from the corruption that is in the world
through inordinate concupiscence.--(5)And for this very purpose
employing the greatest diligence, lead up in the train of your faith
courage; and with courage intelligence; (6)and with intelligence
moderation; and with moderation patience; and with patience piety;
(7)and with piety fraternal affection; and with fraternal affection
love. (8)For if these things are in your possession, and abounding,
they will render you neither inactive nor unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9)But he that hath no possession of these
things, is blind, dim-sighted, sinking into oblivion of his
purification from the sins of his former days. (10)Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make sure your calling and
election: for by doing these things, ye shall never at any time
stumble: (11)but an entrance will thus be richly afforded you into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(12)Wherefore I will not be negligent continually to remind you of
these things, though ye know them, and are established in the present
truth. (13)Indeed, I think it right, as long as I am in this frail
tabernacle, to rouse up your attention by reminding you: (14)knowing
that the deposition of this frail tabernacle of mine is hastily
approaching, as our Lord Jesus Christ hath made evident to me. (15)I
will endeavour then that even after my decease, ye may always have
wherewith to preserve the remembrance of these things. (16)For we have
not followed artfully devised fables, when we made known to you the
power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of
his majesty. (17)For he received from God the Father honour and glory,
when such a voice was sent forth to him from the transcendently
magnificent glory, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.
(18)And this voice we heard coming out of heaven, when we were with him
on the holy mountain. (19)And we hold the prophetic word more
confirmed, to which ye do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a
dark passage, until the day dawn, and the morning-star arise upon your
hearts. (20)Knowing this in the first place, that all scriptural
prophecy is not from any man's own suggestions. (21)For prophecy in old
time came not by the will of man: but the holy men of God spake under
the impulse of the Holy Ghost.