1 Simon Peter, bondman and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have received like precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us by glory and virtue, 4 through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5  But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge, 6  in knowledge temperance, in temperance endurance, in endurance godliness, 7  in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love love: 8  for these things existing and abounding in you make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;