2 Peter 1:1–15

I, Simon Peter, am writing this letter. I serve Jesus Christ. I am his apostle.

I am sending this letter to you who have received a faith as valuable as ours. You received it because our God and Savior Jesus Christ does what is right and fair for everyone.

²May more and more grace and peace be given to you. May they come to you as you learn more about God and about Jesus our Lord.

Be Sure That God Has Chosen You

³God’s power has given us everything we need to lead a godly life. All of that has come to us because we know the One who chose us. He chose us because of his own glory and goodness.

⁴He has also given us his very great and valuable promises. He did it so you could share in his nature. He also did it so you could escape from the evil in the world. That evil is caused by sinful longings.

⁵So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge. ⁶To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness. ⁷To godliness, add kindness to believers. And to kindness to believers, add love.

⁸You should possess more and more of those good points. They will make you useful and fruitful as you get to know our Lord Jesus Christ better.

⁹But what if some of you do not have those good points? Then you can’t see very well. You are blind. You have forgotten that your past sins have been washed away.

¹⁰My brothers and sisters, be very sure that God has appointed you to be saved. Be sure that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall. ¹¹You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts forever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prophecy Comes From God

¹²So I will always remind you of these things. I’ll do it even though you know them. I’ll do it even though you now have deep roots in the truth. ¹³I think it is right for me to remind you. It is right as long as I live in this tent. I’m talking about my body.

¹⁴I know my tent will soon be removed. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me. ¹⁵I hope that you will always be able to remember these things after I’m gone. I will try very hard to see that you do.