Brief notes on my rendering of 2 Peter 1:1-11
2 Peter
2 Peter Chapter 1
Salutation
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received the same precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[Simon Peter, using the name the Lord Jesus gave him instead of Simon Bar Jonah (Matthew 16:17), which was his birth name. Simon calls himself a servant because Jesus is Lord. Precious faith is the Christian faith—the teachings, beliefs, rules, worldview, and lifestyle that our Lord wants us to have and do. Righteousness—see Romans 3:21-22. Our righteousness is through Jesus Christ who died paying our penalty for our sins. God and Savior refer to one person (του θεου ημων και σωτηρος ιησου χριστου).
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to youp through the thorough knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord,
[This peace is very different than the peace the world gives. See John 14:27 and Acts 10:36. It is harmony, rest, and quietness. The Bridgeway Bible Dictionary has this about peace: “In the Old Testament, peace (Heb. shalom) included a range of ideas, such as completeness, wholeness and well-being.” This is peace with God and peace with others, peace in difficulties (by God’s grace), peace in ourselves, and peace throughout eternity in contrast to those who do not believe especially in light of eternity where those who refuse to believe suffer torments. Many of those we meet do not want peace, so we still are to live and talk peace to them (Matthew 5:44].
God’s Great Promises
3 Since his divine power has gratuitously given to us everything [needful] for life and godliness through the thorough knowledge of him who has called us to glory and moral excellence.
[This gift is by God’s grace because of the great and precious work of Jesus Christ. Life includes God’s way of life for us. The word “knowledge” is the Greek word ἐπιγινώσκω epiginṓskō (G1921). This is knowledge of personal acquaintance and life experience. It is God’s desire that we grow in the faith becoming more like Jesus Christ character and way of life].
4 Through this he has given very great and precious promises, so that by them we may become partakers of the divine nature, [since] we have escaped the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.
Spiritual Growth
5 Beside this, be diligent to add to yourp faith moral excellence; to moral excellence add knowledge.
6 To knowledge add self-control; to self-control add perseverance; to perseverance add godliness.
7 To godliness add brotherly love; to brotherly love add unselfish, unconditional love.
8 For if these qualities are in youp and are plentiful, they will make youp not to be barren or unfruitful in the thorough knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he who lacks these qualities is blind, short sighted, and becomes forgetful that he was totally cleansed from his past sins.
[These qualities (verses 5-7) are necessary for the Christian. The Holy Spirit is the teacher. We are the student. Through reading and studying the Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit in chastening and taking us through life experiences, we grow into the image of Jesus our Lord. This image is having the character traits of the Lord Jesus as our own character traits].
10 So now, be even more diligent to make yourp calling and election sure, because if youp do these things, youp will never fall.
[We are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) by fortifying ourselves by reading and studying the Bible (1 Timothy 4:12-16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and Psalm 119:8-11) and allowing God’s will in our life (Matthew 6:10 and Psalm 143:10). We resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9), live a holy life (2 Timothy 2:19-23 and Titus 2:7-8), and apply the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Compare 2 Timothy 2:11-13].
11 For in this way the entrance will be abundantly supplied to youp into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.