11 Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who did obtain a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you, and peace be multiplied in the acknowledgement of God and of Jesus our Lord!
3 As all things to us His divine power (the things pertaining unto life and piety) hath given, through the acknowledgement of him who did call us through glory and worthiness, 4 through which to us the most great and precious promises have been given, that through these ye may become partakers of a divine nature, having escaped from the corruption in the world in desires.
5 And this same also—all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge, 6 and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance the endurance, and in the endurance the piety, 7 and in the piety the brotherly kindness, and in the brotherly kindness the love; 8 for these things being to you and abounding, do make 'you' neither inert nor unfruitful in regard to the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ, 9 for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins; 10 wherefore, the rather, brethren, be diligent to make stedfast your calling and choice, for these things doing, ye may never stumble, 11 for so, richly shall be superadded to you the entrance into the age-during reign of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore, I will not be careless always to remind you concerning these things, though, having known them, and having been established in the present truth, 13 and I think right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up in reminding 'you',
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Peter 1:1-13
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.
Commentary on 2 Peter 1:12-15
(Read 2 Peter 1:12-15)
We must be established in the belief of the truth, that we may not be shaken by every wind of doctrine; and especially in the truth necessary for us to know in our day, what belongs to our peace, and what is opposed in our time. The body is but a tabernacle, or tent, of the soul. It is a mean and movable dwelling. The nearness of death makes the apostle diligent in the business of life. Nothing can so give composure in the prospect, or in the hour, of death, as to know that we have faithfully and simply followed the Lord Jesus, and sought his glory. Those who fear the Lord, talk of his loving-kindness. This is the way to spread the knowledge of the Lord; and by the written word, they are enabled to do this.