2 Peter 1:5

Amplified Bible

For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises], make every effort in [exercising] your faith to develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

King James Version (1611)
And besides this, giuing all diligence, adde to your faith, vertue; and to vertue knowledge;

King James Version
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

English Standard Version
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

New American Standard Bible
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

New Century Version
Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

Berean Standard Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

Contemporary English Version
Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding,

Complete Jewish Bible
For this very reason, try your hardest to furnish your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

Darby Translation
But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge,

Easy-to-Read Version
Because you have these blessings, do all you can to add to your life these things: to your faith add goodness; to your goodness add knowledge;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto: ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith: and with vertue, knowledge:

George Lamsa Translation
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

Good News Translation
For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge;

Lexham English Bible
and for this same reason, and by applying all diligence, supply with your faith excellence of character, and with excellence of character, knowledge,

Literal Translation
But also in this very thing, having brought in all diligence, having fully supplied in your faith virtue, and with virtue knowledge,

American Standard Version
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;

Bible in Basic English
So, for this very cause, take every care; joining virtue to faith, and knowledge to virtue,

Hebrew Names Version
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

International Standard Version
For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge,1 Peter 3:7; 2 Peter 3:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
5 So, with this, bringing in all diligence [fn] add to your faith virtue; but to virtue knowledge,

Murdock Translation
And, while ye apply all diligence in the matter, add to your faith moral excellence; and to moral excellence, knowledge;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And herevnto geue all diligence: in your fayth minister vertue, in vertue knowledge,

English Revised Version
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge;

World English Bible
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For this very reason giving all diligence, add to your faith courage,

Weymouth's New Testament
But for this very reason--adding, on your part, all earnestness-- along with your faith, manifest also a noble character: along with a noble character, knowledge;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And bringe ye in alle bisynesse, and mynystre ye in youre feith vertu, and `in vertu kunnyng;

Update Bible Version
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge;

Webster's Bible Translation
And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

New English Translation
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge;

New King James Version
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

New Living Translation
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

New Life Bible
Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding.

New Revised Standard
For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, for this very reason also - adding, on your part, all diligence, supply, in your faith, excellence, and, in your excellence, knowledge,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue: And in virtue, knowledge:

Revised Standard Version
For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And hervnto geve all diligence: in youre fayth minister vertve and in vertue knowledge

Young's Literal Translation
And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Geue ye all youre diligence therfore here vnto, and in youre faith mynister vertue: in vertue, knowlege:

Mace New Testament (1729)
Do you on your part employ all your care in adding to your faith, fortitude: to fortitude, knowledge:

THE MESSAGE
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Because of this, don't be lazy in responding to God's promises. Throw in a heaping of goodness on top of your faith. To your goodness, add a bunch of wisdom.

Contextual Overview

⁵For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises], make every effort in [exercising] your faith to develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),⁶and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness, ⁷and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit]. ⁸For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins. ¹⁰Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]; ¹¹for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

beside: Luke 16:26, Luke 24:21

giving: 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 3:14, 2 Peter 3:18, Psalms 119:4, Proverbs 4:23, Isaiah 55:2, Zechariah 6:15, John 6:27, Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 11:6, Hebrews 12:15

virtue: 2 Peter 1:3, Philippians 4:8

knowledge: 2 Peter 1:2, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 1:17, Ephesians 1:18, Ephesians 5:17, Philippians 1:9, Colossians 1:9, 1 Peter 3:7

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:17 - General Joshua 7:3 - about two Joshua 22:5 - take Psalms 112:6 - Surely Proverbs 10:4 - becometh Proverbs 10:17 - the way Proverbs 13:4 - but Proverbs 20:4 - therefore Ecclesiastes 10:18 - General Song of Solomon 4:2 - teeth Jeremiah 17:24 - if Ezekiel 18:22 - in his Micah 6:8 - to do Matthew 13:23 - some an Matthew 20:1 - labourers Matthew 28:20 - them Luke 6:49 - that heareth John 3:21 - that his Acts 26:20 - and do Romans 15:14 - full 1 Corinthians 14:6 - knowledge 2 Corinthians 3:18 - are 2 Corinthians 8:7 - see Galatians 5:22 - love Ephesians 1:4 - that Philippians 3:12 - already perfect Colossians 3:12 - mercies 1 Thessalonians 4:1 - so ye 2 Thessalonians 1:3 - your 1 Timothy 4:7 - exercise 1 Timothy 4:12 - in word 1 Timothy 6:11 - righteousness 2 Timothy 3:10 - faith Titus 2:12 - live James 2:14 - though James 2:17 - so 2 Peter 1:9 - lacketh

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse [of sky] heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:13
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

Genesis 1:19
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Genesis 1:23
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Genesis 8:22
"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease."

Psalms 19:2
Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge.

Psalms 74:16
The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have established and prepared the [heavenly] light and the sun.

Psalms 104:20
You [O LORD] make darkness and it becomes night, In which prowls about every wild beast of the forest.

Isaiah 45:7
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing peace and creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And besides this, giving all diligence,.... "Or upon this", as the Syriac and Arabic versions read, bestow all your labour, diligence, and care; namely, on what follows, and that from the consideration of what goes before; for nothing can more strongly animate, and engage to the diligent exercise of grace and discharge of duty, than a consideration of the high favours, and free grace gifts of God, and the exceeding great and precious promises of his Gospel:

add to your faith virtue; or "with your faith", so the Arabic version renders it, and the like, in the following clauses. They had faith, even like precious faith with the apostles, not of themselves, but by the gift of God, and which is the first and principal grace; it leads the van, or rather the "chorus", as the word rendered "add" signifies; and though it is in itself imperfect, has many things lacking in it, yet it cannot be added to, or increased by men; ministers may be a means of perfecting what is lacking in it, and of the furtherance and joy of it, but it is the Lord only that can increase it, or add unto it in that sense, and which is not the meaning here: but the sense is, that as it is the basis and foundation of all good works, it should not stand alone, there ought to be virtue, or good works along with it, by which it may be perfected, not essentially, but evidentially, or might appear to be true and genuine; for by virtue may be either meant some particular virtue, as justice towards men, to which both the grace and doctrine of faith direct; and indeed pretensions to faith in Christ, where there is not common justice done to men, are of little account; or, as others think, beneficence to men; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "proceed to bounty by your faith"; and faith does work by love and kindness to fellow creatures and Christians; but this seems rather designed by brotherly kindness and charity, in 2 Peter 1:7 or boldness, courage, constancy, and fortitude, which ought to go along with faith. Where there is true faith in Christ, there should be a holy boldness to profess it, and constancy in it, and courage to fight the good fight of faith, and firmness of mind to stand fast in it, notwithstanding all difficulties and discouragements; or virtue in general here meant, not mere moral, but Christian virtues, which are the fruits of the Spirit of God, and of his grace; and differ from the other, in that they spring from the grace of God, are done in faith, by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, and by strength received from him, and in love to him, and with a view to the glory of God; whereas moral virtues, as exercised by a mere moral man, spring from nature, and are performed by the mere strength of it, and are destitute of faith, and so but "splendida peccata", splendid sins, and proceed from self-love, from sinister ends, and with selfish views:

and to virtue, knowledge; not of Christ, mentioned 2 Peter 1:8 and which is included in faith, for there can be no true faith in Christ, were there not knowledge of him; but of the will of God, which it is necessary men should be acquainted with, in order to perform it; or else though they may seem zealous of good works, their zeal will not be according to knowledge; they ought to know what are virtues or good works in God's account, and what are the nature and use of them, lest they should mistake and misapply them; or of the Scriptures of truth, and of the mysteries of the Gospel, which should be diligently searched, for the increase and improvement of knowledge in divine things, and which has a considerable influence on a just, sober, and godly living; or by knowledge may be meant prudence and wisdom, in ordering the external conversation aright towards those that are without, and in showing good works out of it, to others, by way of example, and for the evidence of the truth of things, with meekness of wisdom.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And beside this - Καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο Kai auto touto. Something here is necessary to be understood in order to complete the sense. The reference is to 2 Peter 1:3; and the connection is, since 2 Peter 1:3 God has given us these exalted privileges and hopes, “in respect to this,” (κατὰ kata or διὰ dia being understood,) or as a “consequence” fairly flowing from this, we ought to give all diligence that we may make good use of these advantages, and secure as high attainments as we possibly can. We should add one virtue to another, that we may reach the highest possible elevation in holiness.

Giving all diligence - Greek, “Bringing in all zeal or effort.” The meaning is, that we ought to make this a distinct and definite object, and to apply ourselves to it as a thing to be accomplished.

Add to your faith virtue - It is not meant in this verse and the following that we are to endeavor particularly to add these things one to another “in the order” in which they are specified, or that we are to seek first to have faith, and then to add to that virtue, and then to add knowledge to virtue rather than to faith, etc. The order in which this is to be done, the relation which one of these things may have to another, is not the point aimed at; nor are we to suppose that any other order of the words would not have answered the purpose of the apostle as well, or that anyone of the virtues specified would not sustain as direct a relation to any other, as the one which he has specified. The design of the apostle is to say, in an emphatic manner, that we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues; in other words, we are not to content ourselves with a single grace, but are to cultivate all the virtues, and to endeavor to make our piety complete in all the relations which we sustain. The essential idea in the passage before us seems to be, that in our religion we are not to be satisfied with one virtue, or one class of virtues, but that there is to be.

(1)A diligent cultivation of our virtues, since the graces of religion are as susceptible of cultivation as any other virtues;

(2)That there is to be progress made from one virtue to another, seeking to reach the highest possible point in our religion; and,

(3)That there is to be an accumulation of virtues and graces - or we are not to be satisfied with one class, or with the attainments which we can make in one class.

We are to endeavor to add on one after another until we have become possessed of all. Faith, perhaps, is mentioned first, because that is the foundation of all Christian virtues; and the other virtues are required to be added to that, because, from the place which faith occupies in the plan of justification, many might be in danger of supposing that if they had that they had all that was necessary. Compare James 2:14, following In the Greek word rendered “add,” ἐπιχορηγήσατε epichorēgēsate there is an allusion to a “chorus-leader” among the Greeks, and the sense is well expressed by Doddridge: “Be careful to accompany that belief with all the lovely train of attendant graces.” Or, in other words, “let faith lead on as at the head of the choir or the graces, and let all the others follow in their order.” The word here rendered “virtue” is the same which is used in 2 Peter 1:3; and there ks included in it, probably, the same general idea which was noticed there. All the things which the apostle specifies, unless “knowledge” be an exception, are “virtues” in the sense in which that word is commonly used; and it can hardly be supposed that the apostle here meant to use a general term which would include all of the others. The probability is, therefore, that by the word here he has reference to the common meaning of the Greek word, as referring to manliness, courage, vigor, energy; and the sense is, that he wished them to evince whatever firmness or courage might be necessary in maintaining the principles of their religion, and in enduring the trials to which their faith might be subjected. True “virtue” is not a tame and passive thing. It requires great energy and boldness, for its very essence is firmness, manliness, and independence.

And to virtue knowledge - The knowledge of God and of the way of salvation through the Redeemer, 2 Peter 1:3. Compare 2 Peter 3:8. It is the duty of every Christian to make the highest possible attainments in “knowledge.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 5. And beside this — Notwithstanding what God hath done for you, in order that ye may not receive the grace of God in vain;

Giving all diligence — Furnishing all earnestness and activity: the original is very emphatic.

Add to your faith — επιχορηγησατε. Lead up hand in hand; alluding, as most think, to the chorus in the Grecian dance, who danced with joined hands. 2 Corinthians 9:10.

Your faith - That faith in Jesus by which ye have been led to embrace the whole Gospel, and by which ye have the evidence of things unseen.

Virtue — αρετην. Courage or fortitude, to enable you to profess the faith before men, in these times of persecution.

Knowledge — True wisdom, by which your faith will be increased, and your courage directed, and preserved from degenerating into rashness.