2 Peter 1 - If you do these things, you will never stumble

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 yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 

4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 

6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 

7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your callingand election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 

11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prophecy of Scripture

12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly 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 this body, 

14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 

15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 

18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light 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 came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 

21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Peter 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
2. 2 Peter 1:17 Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35

2 Peter 1 

Who is writing this letter? (verse 1)
Who is he writing to? (verse 1)
What is extended to those who it is written to? (verse 2)
How is it extended? (verse 2)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

What has given us everything we need for a godly life? (verse 3)
How have these things been given? (verse 3)
How have we been called? (verse 3)
How may we participate in the divine nature? (verse 4)
What is caused by evil desires? (verse 4)
Why are we to make every effort to add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love? (verse 3-7)
What will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? (verse 8)
What helps in being effective and productive in our knowledge of or Lord Jesus Christ? (verse 3-8)
Who does Peter say is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins? (verse 3-9)
What are things that if we do them, we will never stumble? (verse 3-10)

Prophecy of Scripture

When did Jesus receive honor and glory from God the Father? (verse 17)
Who heard the voice that came from heaven? (verse 18)

What will we do well to pay attention to? (verse 19)
Did any prophecy of Scripture come about by the prophet's own interpretation of things? (verse 20)
How did the prophets speak? (verse 21)

Interpretation

What comes through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord?

Why does Peter remind people of things they already know?

What is the prophetic message? (verse 19)

What does verse 19-21 mean for today's prophesy?



Thoughts

What does adding goodness to to faith look like?

What does adding knowledge to goodness look like?

What does adding self-control to knowledge look like?

What does adding perseverance to self-control look like?

What does adding godliness to perseverance look like?

What does adding mutual affection to godliness look like?

What does adding love to mutual affection look like?

How should we remind people of these kinds of things they already know so that after our departure, they will always be able to remember these things?