2 Peter 1:7

1:7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish ¹  love. ² 

2 Peter 1:2

1:2 May grace and peace be lavished on you ³  as you grow ⁴  in the rich knowledge ⁵  of God and of Jesus our Lord! ⁶ 

2 Peter 1:6

1:6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; ⁷  to perseverance, godliness;

2 Peter 3:14

Exhortation to the Faithful

3:14 Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for ⁸  these things, strive to be found ⁹  at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence. ¹⁰ 

2 Peter 2:10

2:10 especially those who indulge their fleshly desires ¹¹  and who despise authority.

Brazen and insolent, ¹²  they are not afraid to insult ¹³  the glorious ones, ¹⁴ 

[1:7]  ¹ sn The final virtue or character quality in this list is “love” (ἀγάπη, agaph). The word was not used exclusively of Christian or unselfish love in the NT (e.g., the cognate, ἀγαπάω [agapaw], is used in John 3:19 of the love of darkness), but in a list such as this in which ἀγάπη is obviously the crescendo, unselfish love is evidently in view. R. Bauckham (Jude, 2 Peter [WBC], 187) notes that as the crowning virtue, ἀγάπη encompasses all the previous virtues.

[1:7]  ² tn Each item in Greek begins with “and.” The conjunction is omitted for the sake of good English style, with no change in meaning.

[1:2]  ³ tn Grk “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

[1:2]  ⁴ tn The words “as you grow” are not in the Greek text, but seem to be implied.

[1:2]  ⁵ tn The word ἐπίγνωσις (epignwsis) could simply mean knowledge, but J. B. Mayor (Jude and Second Peter, 171-74) has suggested that it is often a fuller knowledge, especially in reference to things pertaining to spiritual truth. R. Bauckham (Jude, 2 Peter [WBC], 169-70) argues that it refers to the knowledge of God that is borne of conversion, but this is probably saying too much and is asking questions of the author that are foreign to his way of thinking. The term is used in 1:2, 3, 8; 2:20 (the verb form occurs twice, both in 2:21). In every instance it evidently involves being in the inner circle of those who connect to God, though it does not necessarily imply such a direct and relational knowledge of God for each individual within that circle. An analogy would be Judas Iscariot: Even though he was a disciple of the Lord, he was not converted.

[1:2]  ⁶ tn A comma properly belongs at the end of v. 2 instead of a period, since v. 3 is a continuation of the same sentence. With the optative in v. 2, the author has departed from Paul’s normal greeting (in which no verb is used), rendering the greeting a full-blown sentence. Nevertheless, this translation divides the verses up along thematic lines in spite of breaking up the sentence structure. For more explanation, see note on “power” in v. 3.

[1:6]  ⁵ tn Perhaps “steadfastness,” though that is somewhat archaic. A contemporary colloquial rendering would be “stick-to-it-iveness.”

[3:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “dear friends, waiting for.” See note in v. 13 on “waiting for.”

[3:14]  ⁸ sn The Greek verb used in the phrase strive to be found is the same as is found in v. 10, translated “laid bare.” In typical Petrine fashion, a conceptual link is made by the same linkage of terms. The point of these two verses thus becomes clear: When the heavens disappear and the earth and its inhabitants are stripped bare before the throne of God, they should strive to make sure that their lives are pure and that they have nothing to hide.

[3:14]  ⁹ tn “When you come into” is not in Greek. However, the dative pronoun αὐτῷ (autw) does not indicate agency (“by him”), but presence or sphere. The idea is “strive to found {before him/in his presence}.”

[2:10]  ⁹ tn Grk “those who go after the flesh in [its] lust.”

[2:10]  ¹⁰ tn There is no “and” in Greek; it is supplied for the sake of English convention.

[2:10]  ¹¹ tn The translation takes βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") as an adverbial participle of purpose, as most translations do. However, it is also possible to see this temporally (thus, “they do not tremble when they blaspheme”).

[2:10]  ¹² tn Δόξας (doxas) almost certainly refers to angelic beings rather than mere human authorities, though it is difficult to tell whether good or bad angels are in view. Verse 11 seems to suggest that wicked angels is what the author intends.