--- title: "2 Peter 1 - Study King James Bible with ellicotts commentary for english readers" description: "Read 2 Peter 1 with ellicotts commentary for english readers commentary. 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our S" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/2-peter/1" --- [ Read](/kjv/2-peter/1)[ Commentary](/study/2-peter/1)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/2-peter/1) Audio 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that *pertain* unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make *you that ye shall* neither *be* barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know *them*, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting *you* in remembrance; 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off *this* my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake *as they were* moved by the Holy Ghost. [1 Peter 5](/study/1-peter/5) [2 Peter 2](/study/2-peter/2) ## Commentary To verse 1 (1) **Simon Peter**.—The marginal reading “Symeon” is to be preferred. “Simon” has probably been substituted as being more usual. The Geneva Bible, which our translators unfortunately sometimes follow when it is *misleading,*has “Simeon.” “Symeon,” of St. Peter, occurs elsewhere only [Acts 15:14](/kjv/acts/15/14), in a speech of the strongly Jewish St. James. As being the more Jewish form of the name, it points to a Jewish Christian as the author; and as being unusual, it shows that the writer, if not the Apostle, is no slavish imitator. As coming from St. Peter, the Apostle of the circumcision, it is natural enough. The differences between this opening and that of 1 Peter are instructive. There, as approaching communities which might seem to belong to St. Paul, he carefully suppresses everything personal; he calls himself merely “Peter,” the name which Christ Himself had given him along with his high commission ([Matthew 16:18](/kjv/matthew/16/18)), and “Apostle,” the title which stated his commission. Here, as coming a second time to those who now know him better (both through his former Epistle and through Silvanus), he adds personal designations. There, as if not venturing to depart greatly from his own peculiar field, he addresses himself mainly to the Jewish converts. Here, with more boldness, the natural result of increased familiarity, he addresses Gentile converts chiefly. (See Note on [1 Peter 1:1](/kjv/1-peter/1/1).) **A servant and an apostle.**—De Wette suspects a combination of [1 Peter 1:1](/kjv/1-peter/1/1) with [Jude 1:1](/kjv/jude/1/1). The coincidence is too slight to argue upon. (See [Romans 1:1](/kjv/romans/1/1) and Note on [Jude 1:1](/kjv/jude/1/1).) The amount of similarity between the opening verses of Jude and those of this Epistle is too small for any conclusions as to the dependence of one on the other. Although the word for “servant” strictly means *slave,*the English version is quite correct. (See on [Romans 1:1](/kjv/romans/1/1).) **To them that have obtained**.—The Greek word implies that they have not won it or earned it for themselves, but that it has been allotted to them. Comp. [Acts 1:17](/kjv/acts/1/17), where the same word (rare in the New Testament) occurs *in a speech of St. Peter.* (See Note on “godliness,” [2 Peter 1:3](/kjv/2-peter/1/3).) Another coincidence to be noticed is the way in which St. Peter speaks of the Gentile Christians ([Acts 11:17](/kjv/acts/11/17)) when charged with having visited “men uncircumcised,” and again ([Acts 15:8-11](/kjv/acts/15/8-11)) at the Council of Jerusalem; both remarkable parallels to this. **Like precious faith with us.**—Not that all had an equal amount of faith, which would scarcely be possible; nor that their faith gave all an equal right to salvation, which the Greek could scarcely mean; but that all believed the same precious mysteries. (Comp. [1 Peter 1:7](/kjv/1-peter/1/7).) It is delicately implied that “we as well as you have had it allotted to us; it is no credit to us; we are not superior to you.” “Us” may mean either the Apostles, or (more probably) the first Christians, as distinct from those converted later, *i.e.*, Jewish as distinct from Gentile Christians. This shows that Gentile converts are chiefly addressed in this Epistle, as Jewish in the First Epistle. Gentiles would be more likely to be doubters respecting Christ’s return to judgment, than Jews well acquainted with Hebrew prophecies on the subject. Gentiles also would be more likely than Jews to fall into the excesses denounced in the second chapter, which bear a strong resemblance to the catalogue of heathen vices given by St. Paul in [Romans 1:0](/kjv/romans/1/0) The idea that Christians are the antitype of the chosen people is prominent in St. Peter’s writings. (Comp. [2 Peter 2:1](/kjv/2-peter/2/1), and [1 Peter 1:10](/kjv/1-peter/1/10).) Note that no particular churches are mentioned. The Second Epistle is more “general” or “catholic” in its address than the First. Here again we have a mark of independence. A writer personating St. Peter, and referring to the former Letter ([2 Peter 3:1](/kjv/2-peter/3/1)), would probably have taken care to make the address of the second letter tally exactly with that of the first. **Through the** **righteousness.**—Better, *in the righteousness.* So Wiclif, Tyndale, and Rheims version. “Righteousness” is variously explained. Perhaps the best interpretation is “fairness, justice.” He has no respect of persons, and hence has given to all Christians, early or late, Jew or Gentile, a “like precious faith.” **Of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.**—Better, *of our God and*(*our*)*Saviour Jesus Christ.* Here, as in [Titus 2:13](/kjv/titus/2/13) (comp. [2 Thessalonians 1:12](/kjv/2-thessalonians/1/12)), we are somewhat in doubt as to whether we have one or two Persons of the Trinity mentioned. Rigid grammar would incline us to make “God” and “Saviour” both apply to Christ. But rigid grammar alone is not always the safest guide in interpreting Scripture. The very next verse, independently of other considerations, seems to determine that both the Father and the Son are here mentioned. The mode of expression which causes doubt on the subject, perhaps indicates the writer’s perfect belief in the oneness of the Father with the Son. The addition of “Saviour” to the name of Jesus Christ is very frequent in this Epistle ([2 Peter 1:11](/kjv/2-peter/1/11), [2 Peter 2:20](/kjv/2-peter/2/20); [2 Peter 3:18](/kjv/2-peter/3/18); comp. [2 Peter 3:2](/kjv/2-peter/3/2)). It shows how completely “Jesus” had become a proper name, the exact signification of which was becoming obscured. “Saviour” does not occur in 1 Pet., but the cognate “salvation” does ([2 Peter 1:5](/kjv/2-peter/1/5); [2 Peter 1:9-10](/kjv/2-peter/1/9-10); [2 Peter 2:2](/kjv/2-peter/2/2)). Both words point onwards to safety from perdition at the last. (Comp. 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