11 [1]Simon Peter , a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ , To those who have received a faith of the same [2]kind as ours , [3]by the righteousness of our God and Savior , Jesus Christ : 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord ;
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness , through the true knowledge of Him who called us [4]by His own glory and [5]excellence . 4 [6]For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises , so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature , having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust .
5 Now for this very reason also , applying all diligence , in your faith supply moral [7]excellence , and in your moral excellence , knowledge , 6 and in your knowledge , self-control , and in your self-control , perseverance , and in your perseverance , godliness , 7 and in your godliness , brotherly kindness , and in your brotherly kindness , love .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Peter 1:1-7
Commentary on 2 Peter 1:1-11
(Read 2 Peter 1:1-11)
Faith unites the weak believer to Christ, as really as it does the strong one, and purifies the heart of one as truly as of another; and every sincere believer is by his faith justified in the sight of God. Faith worketh godliness, and produces effects which no other grace in the soul can do. In Christ all fulness dwells, and pardon, peace, grace, and knowledge, and new principles, are thus given through the Holy Spirit. The promises to those who are partakers of a Divine nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit. The believer must add knowledge to his virtue, increasing acquaintance with the whole truth and will of God. We must add temperance to knowledge; moderation about worldly things; and add to temperance, patience, or cheerful submission to the will of God. Tribulation worketh patience, whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence and submission. To patience we must add godliness: this includes the holy affections and dispositions found in the true worshipper of God; with tender affection to all fellow Christians, who are children of the same Father, servants of the same Master, members of the same family, travellers to the same country, heirs of the same inheritance. Wherefore let Christians labour to attain assurance of their calling, and of their election, by believing and well-doing; and thus carefully to endeavour, is a firm argument of the grace and mercy of God, upholding them so that they shall not utterly fall. Those who are diligent in the work of religion, shall have a triumphant entrance into that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns, and they shall reign with him for ever and ever; and it is in the practice of every good work that we are to expect entrance to heaven.