A Greeting from Peter

(1 Peter 1:1–2)

1 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:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through [the] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

3 His divine power has given us everything [we need] for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us [by His] own[fn] glory and excellence. 4 Through [these] He has given us [His] precious and magnificent promises, so that through [them] you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very [reason], make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For [if] you possess these [ qualities ] and continue to grow [in them], they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in [your] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 [But] whoever lacks these [ traits ] is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10 Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things {you will} never stumble, 11 and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know [them] and are established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I [live] in the tent [ of my body ],[fn] 14 because I know that this tent will soon be laid aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to ensure [that] after my departure, you will be able to recall these things at all times.

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

(Matthew 17:1–13, Mark 9:1–13, Luke 9:28–36)

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received honor and glory from God [the] Father [when] the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”[fn] 18 And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven [when] we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19 We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. [And] you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in [a] dark place, until [the] day dawns and [the] morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from [one’s] own interpretation. 21 For no [such] prophecy {was} ever brought forth by [the] will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by [the] Holy Spirit.

Deliverance from False Prophets

(Jude 1:3–16)

2 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. [They] will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow in their depravity, [and] because of [them] the way of truth will be defamed. 3 In their greed, [these false teachers] will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction {does} not sleep.

4 For if God {did} not spare [the] angels when they sinned, but cast [them] deep into hell,[fn] placing [them] in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 [if] He did not spare [the] ancient world when He brought [the] flood [on its] ungodly [people], but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; 6 [if] He condemned [the] cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction,[fn] reducing [them] to ashes [as] an example of what is coming on the ungodly;[fn] 7 and [if] He rescued Lot, a righteous [man] distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous [man], living among them day after day, was tormented [in his] righteous soul [by the] lawless deeds he saw and heard )—9 [ if all this is so, then the ] Lord knows how to rescue [the] godly from trials and to hold [the] unrighteous for punishment on [the] day of judgment.

10 [ Such punishment is ] specially [reserved] for those who indulge [the] corrupt desires of [the] flesh and despise authority. Bold [and] self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.[fn] 11 Yet not even angels, [though] greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before [the] Lord.

12 These [men] [are] like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in [matters] they do not understand, [and like such creatures] they too will be destroyed.

13 The harm they will suffer [is the] wages of [their] wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. [They are] blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. 14 [Their] eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied they seduce [the] unstable [They are] accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

15 They have left [the] straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam [son] of Beor,[fn] who loved [the] wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, [ otherwise ] without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice [and] restrained the prophet’s madness.

17 These [men] are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them 18 With lofty [but] empty words, they appeal [to the] sensual passions of [the] flesh [and] entice those [who are] just escaping from [others] who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through [the] knowledge of [our] Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,[fn] only to be entangled [and] overcome by it again, their final [condition] is worse than [it was] at first. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known [it] and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to [its] vomit,”[fn] and, “A sow that is washed [goes back] to [her] wallowing in [the] mud.”

The Coming Judgment

(Genesis 7:1–24, Jude 1:17–23)

3 Beloved, this [is] now [my] second letter to you. [Both] of [them] [are] reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking 2 by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by [our] Lord and Savior through your apostles.

3 Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing [and] following their own evil desires.[fn] 4 “Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. Ever since [our] fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from [the] beginning of creation.”

5 [But] they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word [the] heavens existed and [the] earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which[fn] the world of that time perished in the flood 7 And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for [the] day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The Day of the Lord

(Zephaniah 1:7–18, Malachi 4:1–6, 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)

8 Beloved {do} not {let} [this] one thing escape your notice With [the] Lord a day [is] like a thousand years, and a thousand years [are] like a day.[fn] 9 The Lord is not slow [in keeping] [His] promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But [the] Day of [the] Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, [the] elements will be destroyed[fn] by fire, and [the] earth and [its] works will be laid bare.[fn]

11 [Since] everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of [people] ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness 12 as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when [the] heavens will be destroyed by fire and [the] elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with [God’s] promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Final Exhortations

14 Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace—spotless and blameless in His [sight].[fn]

15 Consider also that our Lord’s patience [brings] salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom [God] gave him 16 [ He writes ] this way in all [his] letters,[fn] speaking in them about [such matters]. Some [parts] of [his letters] are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable [people] distort,[fn] as [they do] the rest of [the] Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, beloved, [since] you already know [these things], be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless [and] fall from [your] secure standing.

18 But grow in [the] grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and to [the] day of eternity. Amen.[fn]