Greetings from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1-2)
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
A Living Hope
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
A Call to Be Holy
(Hebrews 12:14-17)
13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
The Word of the Lord Stands Forever
(Isaiah 40:6-8)
22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
A Greeting from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1–2)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory— 9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them. 12 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”
17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; 20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
The Enduring Word
(Isaiah 40:6–8)
22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
24 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
25 but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.
A Greeting from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1–2)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen a 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth b into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully, 11 trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)
13 Therefore prepare your minds for action. c Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15 But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” d
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
21 Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.
The Enduring Word
(Isaiah 40:6–8)
22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. e 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” f
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
Footnotes:
1 a Literally To the elect sojourners of the Diaspora of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia . These provinces were located in what is now Turkey.
3 b Or has caused us to be born again or has begotten us again
13 c Literally Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind
16 d Leviticus 11:44–45; Leviticus 19:2
22 e SBL, NE, and WH from the heart
25 f Isaiah 40:6–8
Greetings from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1-2)
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the choice sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to a foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied!
A Living Hope
3Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the abundance of His kindness did beget us again to a living hope, through the rising again of Jesus Christ out of the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in the heavens for you, 5who, in the power of God are being guarded, through faith, unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, 6in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials, 7that the proof of your faith -- much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved -- may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8whom, not having seen, ye love, in whom, now not seeing and believing, ye are glad with joy unspeakable and glorified, 9receiving the end of your faith -- salvation of souls;
10concerning which salvation seek out and search out did prophets who concerning the grace toward you did prophecy, 11searching in regard to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was manifesting, testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory after these, 12to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering these, which now were told to you (through those who did proclaim good news to you,) in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, to which things messengers do desire to bend looking.
A Call to Be Holy
(Hebrews 12:14-17)
13Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance, 15but according as He who did call you is holy, ye also, become holy in all behaviour, 16because it hath been written, 'Become ye holy, because I am holy;'
17and if on the Father ye do call, who without acceptance of persons is judging according to the work of each, in fear the time of your sojourn pass ye, 18having known that, not with corruptible things -- silver or gold -- were ye redeemed from your foolish behaviour delivered by fathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and unspotted -- Christ's -- 20foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the last times because of you, 21who through him do believe in God, who did raise out of the dead, and glory to him did give, so that your faith and hope may be in God.
The Word of the Lord Stands Forever
(Isaiah 40:6-8)
22Your souls having purified in the obedience of the truth through the Spirit to brotherly love unfeigned, out of a pure heart one another love ye earnestly, 23being begotten again, not out of seed corruptible, but incorruptible, through a word of God -- living and remaining -- to the age;
24because all flesh is as grass, and all glory of man as flower of grass; wither did the grass, and the flower of it fell away,
25and the saying of the Lord doth remain -- to the age; and this is the saying that was proclaimed good news to you.
The Favor of God Paraphrase
A Living Hope Through Jesus’ Resurrection
¹ From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s chosen ones scattered across Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been set apart by the Holy Spirit, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, to live in obedience to Jesus Christ and be cleansed by His blood. Grace and peace be multiplied to you abundantly!
² Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ³ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁴ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
⁵ In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁶ These trials have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proven genuine and result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁷ Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁸ for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
The Wonder of Salvation
⁹ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹⁰ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹¹ It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things!
Be Holy!
¹² Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. ¹³ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁴ But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do! ¹⁵ For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” ¹⁶
Redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ
¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect! ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Love One Another Deeply
²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart! ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, ²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
Footnotes
1.Scattered across Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia: Refers to the early believers dispersed throughout Roman provinces, a mix of Jews and Gentiles, often living under persecution.
2.An inheritance that can never perish: This refers to eternal life and the promises of God, which are unfading and secure in heaven, as opposed to earthly riches.
3.Greater worth than gold: Faith, tested by trials, is more precious than refined gold because it leads to eternal glory, whereas gold will ultimately perish.
4.Angels long to look into these things: Even heavenly beings are intrigued by the unfolding plan of salvation for humanity, which they observe with wonder.
5.Be holy, because I am holy: This call to holiness comes from Leviticus 11:44, emphasizing the believer’s call to reflect God’s purity in all aspects of life.
6.Redeemed from the empty way of life: The “empty way” refers to the pagan, meaningless life of idolatry and sin from which believers were rescued through Jesus’ sacrifice.
7.Living and enduring word of God: This passage highlights the eternal nature of God’s word in contrast to the transient nature of human life, drawing from Isaiah 40:6-8.
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