1SIMON PETER, a servant and legate of Jesus the Messiah, to those who have obtained equally precious faith with us, through the righteousness of Our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus the Messiah ; 2May grace and peace abound to you through the recognition of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, 3as the giver to us of all things that be of the power of God, unto life and the fear of God, through the recognition of him who hath called us unto his own glory and moral excellence: 4wherein he hath given you very great and precious promises; that by them ye might become partakers of the nature of God, while ye flee from the corruptions of the lusts that are in the world. 5And, while ye apply all diligence in the matter, add to your faith moral excellence; and to moral excellence, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, perseverance; and to perseverance, patience; and to patience, the fear of God; 7and to the fear of God, sympathy with the brotherhood; and to sympathy with the brotherhood, love. 8For, while these are found in you, and abounding, they render you not slothful, and not unfruitful, in the recognition of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. 9For he, in whom these things are not found, is blind and seeth not, and hath forgotten the purgation of his former sins. 10And therefore, my brethren, be ye exceedingly diligent to make your calling and election sure, by your good actions: for, by so doing, ye will never fall away. 11For thus will entrance be given you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus the Messiah. 12And for this reason I am not wearied in reminding you continually of these things; although ye know them well, and are established in this truth. 13And it seemeth right to me, so long as I am in this body, to excite you by monition; 14since I know, that the demise of my body is speedy, as also my Lord Jesus the Messiah hath showed me. 15And I am anxious, that, after my departure, ye too may have it always with you to make mention of these things. 16For we have not gone after fables artfully framed, in making known to you the power and advent of our Lord Jesus the Messiah; but it was after we had been spectators of his majesty. 17For, when he received from God the Father honor and glory, and, after the splendid glory of his majesty, a voice came to him thus: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; 18we also heard this identical voice from heaven, which came to him while we were with him in the holy mount. 19And we have moreover a sure word of prophecy; and ye will do well, if ye look to it as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day shall dawn, and the sun shall arise in your hearts; 20ye having the previous knowledge, that no prophecy is an exposition of its own text. 21For at no time was it by the pleasure of man, that the prophecy came; but holy men of God spoke, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.