A New Translation of the Second Letter of

Peter

Based on the Westcott and Hort Text of 1881 with references to the Papyrus fragments of the Chester Beatty collections, c. 3^rd Century A.D. and the Sinaitic Manuscript of the 4^th Century.

Some notes on this translation:

Gentiles vs. nations:  Many translations have translated the Greek root ethn- as Gentiles. We have translated it as nations. The reason for the discrepancy is this: The Hebrew word goyim technically means nations, but as used by the Jews for millennia, the word implies non-Jewish nations, hence, Gentiles. In writing the New Testament, the Greek equivalent of goyim was used, but since the writing was done primarily by Jews, they tended to use the word to mean non-Jewish nations.  In reading this translation, readers should keep that in mind, realizing that when Peter said “nations,” he meant “non-Jewish nations.”

Thou vs. YOU: Many people today have a hard time understanding the Elizabethan usage of thou, thee, thy, etc. For this reason, we have chosen to avoid this archaic language. At the same time, we need to be able to fulfill the purpose of those words, which was to distinguish between a singular you and a plural YOU. Following the example of other translations, we have used all capital letters to indicate plural (more than one person addressed), and small letters to indicate singular (one person addressed).

Words in italics: Following the example of other translations, we have used italics for words that are not in the original text, but which are essential to the sense of the original when translated into English. Unlike other translations, however, we have NOT added words which alter the meaning of the original.

Words in (parentheses): These are not part of the biblical text, but are notes of explanation from the translator.

Perfect vs. Complete: Many English versions use the word “perfect” both as a verb and as an adjective, to translate a particular Greek root. We have also used it occasionally, but it should be understood as perfect in the sense of “complete” and not in the sense of “without flaw.”

2 Peter 1

1 Simon Peter, slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained faith equally precious to ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to YOU and peace be multiplied in the true knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 as his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of the one who called us through glory and virtue;

4 through which he has granted to us the precious and greatest promises; that through these YOU might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by desire.

5 And for this very reason do YOUR best to add to YOUR faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control endurance; and to endurance godliness;

7 and to godliness brotherly love (Greek - “philadelphia” – “love of brethren”); and to brotherly love agape (agape is a more powerful Greek word for love, the ultimate, self-sacrificing, unconditional, consuming love).

8 For if these things exist in YOU and increase, they designate that YOU will not be idle or unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For him in whom these things are not present, he is blind, shutting his eyes, having forgotten the cleansing of his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, do YOUR utmost to make YOUR calling and election sure: for doing these things, YOU will never stumble:

11 for so the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to YOU.

12 Therefore I will always be ready to remind YOU about these things, though YOU know them, and are established in the truth which is with YOU.

13 But I consider it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to awaken YOU fully by reminding;

14 knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle is soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made plain to me.

15 But I will do my best that at every time YOU may be able to bring these things to remembrance after my departure.

16 For it was not by having followed cunningly devised myths that we made known to YOU the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence.

17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when a voice such as this was carried to him by the majestic glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, into whom I was well pleased;’ (This quote is usually translated differently. This translation is more accurate. Col. 1:19 and 2:9 will support and help clarify the meaning.)

18 and we heard this voice carried out of heaven, being together with him in the holy mountain.

19 And we have the more sure prophetic word; to which YOU do well paying attention, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day breaks, and a morning-star arises in YOUR hearts:

20 this first, knowing that no prophecy of scripture comes from private interpretation.

21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spoke from God, being carried by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among YOU, who will sneak in heresies of destruction, and denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

2 And many will follow their acts of loose conduct, through whom the way of the truth will be blasphemed.

3 And in greed they buy and sell (“make merchandise of”) YOU with false (literally, “molded”) words: whose judgment from of old is not delaying, and their destruction is not slumbering.

4 For if God did not spare angels who sinned, but cast them into the pit (literally, “Tartarus,” deepest abyss of Hades), and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, the eighth one, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to the ungodly of things to come;

7 and delivered righteous Lot, worn down by the loose conduct of the lawless

8 --for the righteous man dwelling among them, seeing and hearing, tormented his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds--

9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of a trial, and to keep the unrighteous in punishment to the day of judgment;

10 but especially those who walk after flesh in the desire of uncleanness, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, not trembling at dignities, blaspheming:

11 whereas angels, being greater in strength and power, do not bring a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as animals without reason, born naturally to be captured and ruined, blaspheming in things they don’t know about, will in their ruining also be ruined,

13 suffering unrighteousness as the wages of unrighteousness; considering debauchery for a day a pleasure, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions while they associate with YOU;

14 having the intoxicated eyes of an adulteress, and not ceasing from sin; entrapping unstable souls; having a heart exercised in greed; children of a curse;

15 abandoning the right way, they were caused to err, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a mute beast of burden spoke with the voice of a man and stopped the madness of the prophet.

17 These are waterless fountains, and mists driven by a squall; for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved.

18 For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entrap in the desires of the flesh for loose conduct, those who are barely escaping those who live in error;

19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by the same he has been enslaved.

20 For if, after having escaped the contaminations of the world through true knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but again being entangled in these, they are overcome, the last state is become worse for them than the first.

21 For it were better for them not to have truly known the way of righteousness, than, having truly known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

22 The word of the true proverb has happened to them, ‘The dog has turned to his own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.’

2 Peter 3

1 Beloved, this is already the second letter I am writing to YOU; in which I am fully awakening YOUR sincere mind by reminding YOU;

2 to remember the sayings spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through YOUR apostles:

3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come with mockery, walking after their own desires,

4 and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as from the beginning of the creation.’

5 For they are willing for this to be hidden to them, that the heavens were from of old, and earth stood together out of water and through water, by the word of God;

6 by which the world that was then, having been flooded with water, was destroyed:

7 but the heavens that are now, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But don’t let this one thing be hidden to you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow concerning the promise, as some consider slowness; but is patient with YOU, not wishing any to be destroyed, but to allow space for all to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens will go away with a whizzing noise, and the elements will be dissolved with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be found.

11 Since all these things are to be thus dissolved, what sort of people ought YOU to be in holy behavior and godliness,

12 anticipating and eagerly awaiting the coming of the day of God, through which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with intense heat?

13 But, according to his promise, we are anticipating new heavens, and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, anticipating these things, do YOUR best to be found by him in peace, spotless and unblemished.

15 And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation; as our beloved Brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to YOU;

16 as also in all his letters, speaking about these things in them; in which some things are hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable twist, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 YOU therefore, beloved, knowing beforehand, be on guard, lest being carried away in the error of the lawless, YOU fall from YOUR own stability.

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. (Some manuscripts add “Amen.”).