^3:1Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written¹ you, in which² I am trying to stir up³ your pure mind by way of reminder: ^3:2I want you to recall⁴ both⁵ the predictions⁶ foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.⁷

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Footnotes

1 Grk “I am already writing this [as] a second letter.” The object-complement construction is more smoothly rendered in English a bit differently. Further, although the present tense γράφω (graphō) is used here, English convention employs an epistolary past tense. (The Greek epistolary aorist might have been expected here, but it also occurs in situations unlike its English counterparts.)
2 The relative pronoun is plural, indicating that the following statement is true about both letters.
3 Or “I have stirred up, aroused.” The translation treats the present tense verb as a conative present.
4 Grk “to remember.” “I want you” is supplied to smooth out the English. The Greek infinitive is subordinate to the previous clause.
5 “Both” is not in Greek; it is supplied to show more clearly that there are two objects of the infinitive “to remember”—predictions and commandment.
6 Grk “words.” In conjunction with πρόειπον (proeipon), however, the meaning of the construction is that the prophets uttered prophecies.
7 Holy prophets … apostles. The first chapter demonstrated that the OT prophets were trustworthy guides (1:19–21) and that the NT apostles were also authoritative (1:16–18). Now, using the same catch phrase found in the Greek text of 1:20 (τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες, touto prōton ginōskontes), Peter points to specific prophecies of the prophets as an argument against the false teachers.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder, so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.

NLTNew Living Translation

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

KJV 1900King James Version

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

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