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Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
have received a faith as precious as ours:
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Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and
Jesus our Lord.
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His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
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Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
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For this very reason, make every effort to add to your goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge;
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and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance;
and to perseverance, godliness;
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and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
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Fot if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,
they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive
in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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But if anyone does not have them, he is near-sighted and blind,
and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
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Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling
and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall.
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and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them
and are firmly established in the truth you now have.
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I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
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because I know that I will soon put it aside,
as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
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And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always
be able to remember these things.
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We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
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For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to
him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love;
with him I am well pleased."
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We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven
when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
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And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well
to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns
and the moning star rises in your hearts.
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Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about
by the prophet's own interpretation.
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For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man,
but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
