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THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF
PETER.
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CHAPTER 1.
IMON 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.
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God (II. Cor., 7:1)."
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.
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world (Phil., 2:14, 15)."
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.
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be
my disciples (Jno., 15:8)."
"But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and
is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned
(Heb., 6:8)."
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
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election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling (Phil., 2:12)."
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.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment (Heb., 9:27)."
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens (II. Cor., 5:1)."
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.
"Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to
be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for
thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and
behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and
were sore afraid (Matt., 17:4-6)."
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:
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any
man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth:
that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom
be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen (I. Pet., 4:11)."
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 Spirit.
CHAPTER 2.
UT there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of
whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables (II. Tim., 4:3, 4)."
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not,
and their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved unto judgment;
"Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged
with folly (Job, 4:18)."
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth
person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon
the world of the ungodly;
"In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the
sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with
them, into the ark (Gen., 7:13)."
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and
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Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making
them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire
from the Lord out of heaven (Gen., 19:24)."
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of
the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and
hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with
their unlawful deeds;)
"Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be
come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar
(Gen., 19:22, 23)."
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,
and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I. Cor., 10:13)."
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of
uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they,
selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring
not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
"Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed
about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing
accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee (Jude 1:9)."
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and
destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and
shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they
that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are
and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings
while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from
sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with
covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the
wages of unrighteousness;
"And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord
stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon
his ass, and his two servants were with him.
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his
sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and
went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the
way.
But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall
being on this side, and a wall on that side.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the
wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her
again.
And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place,
where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the
left.
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam:
and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three
times?
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which
thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I
ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay (Num., 22:22-30)."
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with
man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with
a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they
allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,
those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the
servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the
same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled
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therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning.
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage
(Gal., 5:1)."
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the adversaries (Heb., 10:26, 27)."
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the
holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb,
The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was
washed to her wallowing in the mire.
CHAPTER 3.
HIS second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which
I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 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:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days
scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron (I. Tim., 4:1, 2)."
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of
God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the
water and in the water:
"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of
them by the breath of his mouth (Ps., 33:6)."
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water,
perished:
"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of
the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl
of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only
remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days
(Gen., 7:23, 24)."
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word
are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels
(Matt., 25:41)."
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming (II. Thess., 2:8)."
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day
is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as
one day.
"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it
is past, and as a watch in the night (Ps., 90:4)."
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry (Hab., 2:3)."
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away
(Matt., 24:35)."
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in
the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch
the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have
suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of man cometh (Matt., 24:42-44)."
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all
holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the
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coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour
before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may
judge his people.
Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with
me by sacrifice.
And the heaven shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge
himself (Ps., 50:3-6)."
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall
remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name
remain (Isa., 66:22)."
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be
diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is
salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the
wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now (Rom., 8:19-22)."
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these
things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that
are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other
scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked,
fall from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.
Amen.
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