Reference: Peter, Second Epistle Of
Easton
The question of the authenticity of this epistle has been much discussed, but the weight of evidence is wholly in favour of its claim to be the production of the apostle whose name it bears. It appears to have been written shortly before the apostle's death (1:14). This epistle contains eleven references to the Old Testament. It also contains (3:15, 16) a remarkable reference to Paul's epistles. Some think this reference is to 1Th 4:13-5:11. A few years ago, among other documents, a parchment fragment, called the "Gospel of Peter," was discovered in a Christian tomb at Akhmim in Upper Egypt. Origen (obiit A.D. 254), Eusebius (obiit 340), and Jerome (obiit 420) refer to such a work, and hence it has been concluded that it was probably written about the middle of the second century. It professes to give a history of our Lord's resurrection and ascension. While differing in not a few particulars from the canonical Gospels, the writer shows plainly that he was acquinted both with the synoptics and with the Gospel of John. Though apocryphal, it is of considerable value as showing that the main facts of the history of our Lord were then widely known.
Hastings
This Epistle cannot rank with 1Peter as a Christian classic; indeed, very many would agree with J
See Verses Found in Dictionary
All has been handed over to me by my Father: and no one knows the Son except the Father ??nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find your souls refreshed;
But if I cast out daemons by the Spirit of God, then the Reign of God has reached you already. Why, how can anyone enter the strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first of all binds the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
When an unclean spirit leaves a man, it roams through dry places in search of refreshment and finds none. Then it says, 'I will go back to the house I left,' and when it comes it finds the house vacant, clean, and all in order. read more. Then it goes off to fetch seven other spirits worse than itself; they go in and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. This is how it will be with the present evil generation."
Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.
When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory,
But when that misery is past, in those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not yield her light, the stars will drop from heaven, and the orbs of the heavens will be shaken. read more. Then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words never.
so he said, "It is granted you to understand the open secrets of the Reign of God, but the others get it in parables, so that for all their seeing they may not see, and for all their hearing they may not understand.
No one lights a lamp and hides it under a vessel or puts it below the bed: he puts it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light.
men swooning with panic and foreboding of what is to befall the universe. For the orbs of the heavens will be shaken, and then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. read more. But when these things begin to happen, look up and raise your heads, for your release is not far distant."
Truly, truly I tell you, you put on your own girdle and went wherever you wanted, when you were young; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands for someone to gird you, and you will be taken where you have no wish to go" (he said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God); then he added, "Follow me."
Repent then, and turn to have your sins blotted out, so that a breathing-space may be vouchsafed you, and that the Lord may send Jesus your long-decreed Christ, read more. who must be kept in heaven till the period of the great Restoration. Ages ago God spoke of this by the lips of his holy prophets;
Or are you slighting all his wealth of kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not know his kindness is meant to make you repent?
their ways bring destruction and calamity,
you must not let sin have your members for the service of vice, you must dedicate yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, dedicating your members to God for the service of righteousness.
What if God, though desirous to display his anger and show his might, has tolerated most patiently the objects of his anger, ripe and ready to be destroyed?
I know that if this earthly tent of mine is taken down, I get a home from God, made by no human hands, eternal in the heavens.
so as to strengthen your hearts and make them blameless in holiness before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. [Amen.]
May the God of peace consecrate you through and through! Spirit, soul, and body, may you be kept without break or blame till the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
born to an unscathed, inviolate, unfading inheritance; it is kept in heaven for you,
Even prophets have searched and inquired about that salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was meant for you; the Spirit of messiah within them foretold all the suffering of messiah and his after-glory, and they pondered when or how this was to come; read more. to them it was revealed that they got this intelligence not for themselves but for you, regarding all that has now been disclosed to you by those who preached the gospel to you through the holy Spirit sent from heaven. The very angels long to get a glimpse of this! Brace up your minds, then, keep cool, and put your hope for good and all in the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
as He who called you is holy, so you must be holy too in all your conduct ??16 for it is written, You shall be holy because I am holy.
Now that your obedience to the Truth has purified your souls for a brotherly love that is sincere, love one another heartily and steadily. You are born anew of immortal, not of mortal seed, by the living, lasting word of God;
a stone over which men stumble and a rock of offence; they stumble over it in their disobedience to God's word. Such is their appointed doom.
You are sharing what Christ suffered; so rejoice in it, that you may also rejoice and exult when his glory is revealed.
Now I make this appeal to your presbyters (for I am a presbyter myself, I was a witness of what Christ suffered and I am to share the glory that will be revealed),
Once you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will repair and recruit and strengthen you.
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ:
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ:
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ:
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ:
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord.
grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord.
grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord.
grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord.
grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord.
grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord. Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety, piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love.
piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love.
piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love.
piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love.
piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love.
piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love. For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; whereas he who has not these by him is blind, shortsighted, oblivious that he has been cleansed from his erstwhile sins.
whereas he who has not these by him is blind, shortsighted, oblivious that he has been cleansed from his erstwhile sins.
whereas he who has not these by him is blind, shortsighted, oblivious that he has been cleansed from his erstwhile sins.
whereas he who has not these by him is blind, shortsighted, oblivious that he has been cleansed from his erstwhile sins. So be the more eager, brothers, to ratify your calling and election, for as you practise these qualities you will never make a slip;
So be the more eager, brothers, to ratify your calling and election, for as you practise these qualities you will never make a slip;
So be the more eager, brothers, to ratify your calling and election, for as you practise these qualities you will never make a slip;
So be the more eager, brothers, to ratify your calling and election, for as you practise these qualities you will never make a slip; you will thus be richly furnished with the right of entry into the eternal realm of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
you will thus be richly furnished with the right of entry into the eternal realm of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
you will thus be richly furnished with the right of entry into the eternal realm of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
you will thus be richly furnished with the right of entry into the eternal realm of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Hence I mean to keep on reminding you of this, although you are aware of it and are fixed in the Truth as it is;
Hence I mean to keep on reminding you of this, although you are aware of it and are fixed in the Truth as it is;
Hence I mean to keep on reminding you of this, although you are aware of it and are fixed in the Truth as it is;
Hence I mean to keep on reminding you of this, although you are aware of it and are fixed in the Truth as it is; so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder,
so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder,
so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder,
so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder,
so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know my tent must be folded up very soon ??as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.
since I know my tent must be folded up very soon ??as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.
since I know my tent must be folded up very soon ??as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.
since I know my tent must be folded up very soon ??as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. Yes, and I will see to it that even when I am gone, you will keep this constantly in mind.
Yes, and I will see to it that even when I am gone, you will keep this constantly in mind.
Yes, and I will see to it that even when I am gone, you will keep this constantly in mind.
Yes, and I will see to it that even when I am gone, you will keep this constantly in mind. For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty,
For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty,
For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty,
For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty,
For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty, when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."
when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."
when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."
when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."
when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight." That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill,
That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill,
That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill,
That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill,
That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill, and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.
and many will follow their immorality (thanks to them the true Way will be maligned);
For if God did not spare angels who had sinned, but committing them to pits of the nether gloom in Tartarus, reserved them under punishment for doom:
For if God did not spare angels who had sinned, but committing them to pits of the nether gloom in Tartarus, reserved them under punishment for doom:
(for when that righteous man resided among them, by what he saw and heard his righteous soul was vexed day after day with their unlawful doings) ??9 then be sure the Lord knows how to rescue pious folk from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment till the day of doom,
(for when that righteous man resided among them, by what he saw and heard his righteous soul was vexed day after day with their unlawful doings) ??9 then be sure the Lord knows how to rescue pious folk from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment till the day of doom,
whereas even angels, superior in might and power, lay no scoffing charge against these before the Lord.
done out of the profits of their evil-doing. Pleasure for them is revelling in open daylight ??spots and blots, with their dissipated revelling, as they carouse in your midst! ??14 their eyes are full of harlotry, insatiable for sin; their own hearts trained to lust, they beguile unsteady souls. Accursed generation!
they have gone wrong by leaving the straight road, by following the road of Balaam son of Bosor, who liked the profits of evil-doing ??16 but he got reproved for his malpractice: a dumb ass spoke with human voice and checked the prophet's infatuation.
These people are waterless fountains and mists driven by a squall, for whom the nether gloom of darkness is reserved.
These people are waterless fountains and mists driven by a squall, for whom the nether gloom of darkness is reserved. By talking arrogant futilities they beguile with the sensual lure of fleshly passion those who are just escaping from the company of misconduct ??19 promising them freedom, when they are themselves enslaved to corruption (for a man is the slave of whatever overpowers him).
By talking arrogant futilities they beguile with the sensual lure of fleshly passion those who are just escaping from the company of misconduct ??19 promising them freedom, when they are themselves enslaved to corruption (for a man is the slave of whatever overpowers him).
After escaping the pollutions of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, if they get entangled and overpowered again, the last state is worse for them than the first. Better had they never known the Way of righteousness, than to know it and then turn back from the holy command which was committed to them.
Better had they never known the Way of righteousness, than to know it and then turn back from the holy command which was committed to them.
Better had they never known the Way of righteousness, than to know it and then turn back from the holy command which was committed to them. They verify the truth of the proverb: "The dog turns back to what he has vomited, the sow when washed will wallow in the mire."
This is the second letter I have already written to you, beloved, stirring up your pure mind by way of reminder,
This is the second letter I have already written to you, beloved, stirring up your pure mind by way of reminder, to have you recollect the words spoken by the holy prophets beforehand and the command given by your apostles from the Lord and saviour. read more. To begin with, you know that mockers will come with their mockeries in the last days, men who go by their own passions,
They wilfully ignore the fact that heavens existed long ago, and an earth which the word of God formed of water and by water. By water the then-existing world was deluged and destroyed, read more. but the present heavens and earth are treasured up by the same word for fire, reserved for the day when the impious are doomed and destroyed.
but the present heavens and earth are treasured up by the same word for fire, reserved for the day when the impious are doomed and destroyed. Beloved, you must not ignore this one fact, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a single day. read more. The Lord is not slow with what he promises, according to certain people's idea of slowness; no, he is longsuffering for your sake, he does not wish any to perish but all to betake them to repentance. The day of the Lord will come like a thief, when the heavens will vanish with crackling roar, the stars will be set ablaze and melt, the earth and all its works will disappear.
The day of the Lord will come like a thief, when the heavens will vanish with crackling roar, the stars will be set ablaze and melt, the earth and all its works will disappear.
The day of the Lord will come like a thief, when the heavens will vanish with crackling roar, the stars will be set ablaze and melt, the earth and all its works will disappear. Now as all things are thus to be dissolved, what holy and pious men ought you to be in your behaviour,
Now as all things are thus to be dissolved, what holy and pious men ought you to be in your behaviour,
Now as all things are thus to be dissolved, what holy and pious men ought you to be in your behaviour,
Now as all things are thus to be dissolved, what holy and pious men ought you to be in your behaviour, you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt!
you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt!
you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt!
you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt!
you who expect and hasten the advent of the Day of God, which dissolves the heavens in fire and makes the stars blaze and melt! It is new heavens and a new earth that we expect, as He has promised, and in them dwells righteousness.
It is new heavens and a new earth that we expect, as He has promised, and in them dwells righteousness. Then, beloved, as you are expecting this, be eager to be found by him unspotted and unblemished in serene assurance.
Then, beloved, as you are expecting this, be eager to be found by him unspotted and unblemished in serene assurance. And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord means salvation; as indeed our beloved brother Paul has written to you out of the wisdom vouchsafed to him, read more. speaking of this as he has done in all his letters ??letters containing some knotty points, which ignorant and unsteady souls twist (as they do the rest of the scriptures) to their own destruction.
speaking of this as he has done in all his letters ??letters containing some knotty points, which ignorant and unsteady souls twist (as they do the rest of the scriptures) to their own destruction.
speaking of this as he has done in all his letters ??letters containing some knotty points, which ignorant and unsteady souls twist (as they do the rest of the scriptures) to their own destruction.
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory now and to the day of eternity: Amen.
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory now and to the day of eternity: Amen.
I know where you dwell, where Satan sits enthroned, and yet you adhere to my Name, you have not renounced your faith in me even during the days when my witness, my faithful Antipas, was martyred in your midst ??where Satan dwells. But I have one or two things against you: you have some adherents there of the tenets of Balaam, who taught Balak how to set a pitfall before the sons of Israel by making them eat food which had been sacrificed to idols and give way to sexual vice. read more. So even with you; you likewise have some adherents of the tenets of the Nicolaitans. Repent; if not, I will very soon come to you and make war upon them with the sword of my mouth. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches: 'The conqueror I will allow to share the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, unknown to any except him who receives it.' Then to the angel of the church at Thyatira write thus: ??These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes flash like fire and whose feet glow like bronze. I know your doings, your love and loyalty and service and patient endurance; I know you are doing more than you did at first. Still I have this against you: you are tolerating that Jezebel of a woman who styles herself a prophetess and seduces my servants by teaching them to give way to sexual vice and to eat food which has been sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual vice. Lo, I will lay her on a sickbed, and bring her paramours into sore distress, if they do not repent of her practices; and her children I will exterminate. So shall all the churches know that I am the searcher of the inmost heart; I will requite each of you according to what you have done. But for the rest of you at Thyatira, for all who do not hold these tenets, for those who have not (in their phrase) 'fathomed the deep mysteries of Satan' ??for you this is my word: I impose no fresh burden on you;
Morish
The object of this epistle appears to be primarily the confirmation of the minds of Jewish believers in the certainty of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have in it the only record by an eye-witness of what took place on the Mount of Transfiguration. This vision made more sure the word of prophecy to which saints did well in taking heed, as to a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawned, and the day-star arose in their hearts.
But before the kingdom could be displayed, it was necessary that the corruption of Christianity, which had already set in, should be complete and the course and climax of this corruption are vividly portrayed in 2 Peter 2. It originated in false teachers privily bringing in destructive heresies, denying the Lord that bought them. The development of this evil is viewed in the light of wickedness (rather than of apostasy, as in the Epistle of Jude), as that which is specially obnoxious to the government of God. While in Jude the gainsaying of Core is shown to be the culminating point of apostasy, here the incitement to abominable wickedness by Balaam is before the mind of the Spirit, indicating how corrupting the influence of those who held the place of 'prophet' would become.
In the concluding part of the epistle (2 Peter 3) we have also the closing phase of unbelief (perhaps Jewish), namely, scepticism, built up on the assumed unchangeability of the creation, as to the coming of the day of the Lord. And this becomes the occasion of the apostle's leading the minds of the saints beyond the thoughts of the kingdom to that which, resting on perfect moral foundations, is eternal and unchangeable. The day of the Lord was a means to an and, and would make way for the day of God, and the fulfilment of His promise of new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness would reside, and in view of which the existing heavens and earth would pass away. Saints, knowing these things before, were not to fall from their stedfastness, but to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Smith
Peter, Second Epistle of.
The following is a brief outline of the contents of this epistle: The customary opening salutation is followed by an enumeration of Christian blessings and exhortation to Christian duties.
Referring then to his approaching death, the apostle assigns as grounds of assurance for believers his own personal testimony as eye-witness of the transfiguration and the sure word of prophecy--that is the testimony of the Holy Ghost. vs.
The danger of being misled by false prophets is dwelt upon with great earnestness throughout the second chapter, which is almost identical in language and subject with the Epistle of Jude. The overthrow of all opponents of Christian truth is predicted in connection with prophecies touching the second advent of Christ, the destruction of the world by fire, and the promise of new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. ch. 3. This epistle of Peter presents questions of difficulty. Doubts as to its genuineness were entertained by the early Church; in the time of Eusebius it was reckoned among the disputed books, and was not formally admitted into the canon until the year 393, at the Council of Hippo. These difficulties, however, are insufficient to justify more than hesitation in admitting its ,genuineness. A majority of names may be quoted in support of the genuineness and authenticity of this epistle. (It is very uncertain as to the time when it was written. It was written near the close of Peter's life--perhaps about A.D. 68--from Rome or somewhere on the journey thither from the East --Alford.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Symeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted a faith of equal privilege with ours, by the equity of our God and saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of our Lord. read more. Inasmuch as his power divine has bestowed on us every requisite for life and piety by the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence ??4 bestowing on us thereby promises precious and supreme, that by means of them you may escape the corruption produced within the world by lust, and participate in the divine nature ??5 for this very reason, do you contrive to make it your whole concern to furnish your faith with resolution, resolution with intelligence,
intelligence with self-control, self-control with stedfastness, stedfastness with piety, piety with brotherliness, brotherliness with Christian love. read more. For as these qualities exist and increase with you, they render you active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; whereas he who has not these by him is blind, shortsighted, oblivious that he has been cleansed from his erstwhile sins. So be the more eager, brothers, to ratify your calling and election, for as you practise these qualities you will never make a slip; you will thus be richly furnished with the right of entry into the eternal realm of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Hence I mean to keep on reminding you of this, although you are aware of it and are fixed in the Truth as it is; so long as I am in this tent, I deem it proper to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know my tent must be folded up very soon ??as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. Yes, and I will see to it that even when I am gone, you will keep this constantly in mind. For it was no fabricated fables that we followed when we reported to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; we were admitted to the spectacle of his sovereignty, when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight." That voice borne from heaven we heard, we who were beside him on the sacred hill, and thus we have gained fresh confirmation of the prophetic word. Pray attend to that word; it shines like a lamp within a darksome spot, till the Day dawns and the daystar rises within your hearts ??20 understanding this, at the outset, that no prophetic scripture allows a man to interpret it by himself;
for prophecy never came by human impulse, it was when carried away by the holy Spirit that the holy men of God spoke.