Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the uprightness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have been given a faith as privileged as ours;

God bless you and give you perfect peace through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Because by his power he has given us everything necessary for life and righteousness, through the knowledge of him who has been our guide by his glory and virtue;

Because of which, the precious and greatest promises have been given to us, so that through these ye might become companions of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption in the world in lust.

And hereunto, give all diligence: In your faith, minister virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;

Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:

For thus shall you have an abundant entrance given you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.

And so we possess the word of prophecy made yet more sure. Unto this you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Being conscious in the first place that no man by himself may give a special sense to the words of the prophets.

Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them.

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corrupt habits; for a man is the slave of anything to which he gives way.

If, after having escaped the polluting influences of the world, through knowing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, men are again entangled in them, and give way to them, their last state has become worse than their first.

For it would have been better for them to have had no knowledge of the way of righteousness, than to go back again from the holy law which was given to them, after having knowledge of it.

I want you to recollect the words that were foretold by the holy prophets, and the command of your Lord and Saviour, given you through your apostles.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;