The Epistles · Chapter 1 of 3
2 Peter 1
Peter greets those who share precious faith and reminds them God's divine power has given all things for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ. He urges them to add to their faith a growing chain of virtues, making their calling sure. Facing his own death, he stirs them to remembrance, testifies he was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty on the holy mount, and commends the sure word of prophecy shining until the day dawns.
What happens in 2 Peter 1
Peter writes as a servant and apostle to those who have obtained like precious faith, praying grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus (v1-2). God's divine power has granted everything needed for life and godliness, along with great and precious promises that make believers partakers of the divine nature, escaping worldly corruption (v3-4). He urges diligence to add to faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, so they are neither barren nor blind, and their calling and election are made sure (v5-11).
Knowing he will soon put off his tabernacle as Christ showed him, Peter is determined to keep stirring them to remembrance even after his death (v12-15). He insists the apostles did not follow cunning fables but were eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty, hearing the Father's voice on the holy mount (v16-18). He commends the more sure word of prophecy, given by holy men moved by the Holy Ghost (v19-21).
2 Peter 1 in context
This is Peter's farewell letter, written near the end of his life, as he says the Lord has shown him his death is near. Facing false teachers who deny the Lord's return, he grounds the faith in eyewitness testimony and the prophetic Scriptures.
The reference to the holy mount recalls the Transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John saw Christ's glory and heard the Father's voice. The letter aims to anchor believers before he departs.
Main themes of 2 Peter 1
2 Peter 1 (KJV)
1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 15Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Verses to carry from 2 Peter 1
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”2 Peter 1:4
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”2 Peter 1:16
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”2 Peter 1:21
New Testament quotation
How 2 Peter 1 points to Jesus
Christ fills this chapter as the object of saving knowledge and the giver, through his divine power, of all things needed for life and godliness. Through knowing him believers become partakers of the divine nature and enter his everlasting kingdom abundantly. Most strikingly, Peter recounts the Transfiguration: he was an eyewitness of the majesty of Jesus, who received honor and glory from the Father when the voice from the excellent glory declared that this is his beloved Son.
Peter offers this not as legend but as testimony that grounds the coming of the Lord. Christ is the beloved Son confirmed by the Father, the one whose power and promises transform, and the light toward which the sure word of prophecy points until the day star arises in the heart.
Questions about 2 Peter 1
What does partaking of the divine nature mean?
Peter says the great and precious promises enable believers to be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped worldly corruption. This does not mean becoming God, but sharing in his moral character and life, being transformed into his likeness. It is why he immediately lists virtues to grow: the divine nature shared shows itself in changed character, not mere status.
Why does Peter stress being an eyewitness?
Facing scoffers who called Christ's return a fable, Peter grounds the faith in what he personally saw and heard. He witnessed Christ's majesty on the mount and heard the Father's voice. This is not clever mythmaking but testimony, joined to the Spirit-inspired prophetic Scriptures. The reliability of the gospel rests on real events attested by real witnesses.
Reflection
Consider that God has already given you everything needed for life and godliness in Christ. Rather than waiting to feel adequate, add one virtue diligently this week, letting faith grow toward love. When doubt whispers that faith is a fable, remember it rests on witnesses who saw his glory.
A prayer from 2 Peter 1
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