1:3 I can pray this because his divine power12 has bestowed on us everything necessary13 for life and godliness through the rich knowledge14 of the one who called15 us by16 his own glory and excellence.
tn The verse in Greek starts out with ὡς (hōs) followed by a genitive absolute construction, dependent on the main verb in v. 2. Together, they form a subordinate causal clause. A more literal rendering would be “because his divine power …” The idea is that the basis or authority for the author’s prayer in v. 2 (that grace and peace would abound to the readers) was that God’s power was manifested in their midst. The author’s sentence structure is cumbersome even in Greek; hence, the translation has broken this up into two sentences.
13
tn The word “necessary” is not in the Greek, but is implied by the preposition πρός (pros).
snCalled. The term καλέω (kaleō), used here in its participial form, in soteriological contexts when God is the subject, always carries the nuance of effectual calling. That is, the one who is called is not just invited to be saved—he is also and always saved (cf. Rom 8:30). Calling takes place at the moment of conversion, while election takes place in eternity past (cf. Eph 1:4).
16
tn The datives ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ (idia doxē kai aretē) could be taken either instrumentally (“by [means of] his own glory and excellence”) or advantage (“for [the benefit of] his own glory and excellence”). Both the connection with divine power and the textual variant found in several early and important witnesses (διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀρετῆς in 𝔓72 B 0209vid) argues for an instrumental meaning. The instrumental notion is also affirmed by the meaning of ἀρετῇ (“excellence”) in contexts that speak of God’s attributes (BDAG130s.v.ἀρετή 2 in fact defines it as “manifestation of divine power” in this verse).
God is inviting you on a journey through the land of His promises and provision—the riches of your inheritance in Christ. In a very practical way, renowned Bible teacher Derek Prince shows you how to address your difficulties and have your needs supplied by applying the specific promises appropriate for each situation.