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¹ SIMON Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ have been made equal with us in the precious faith;² Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ,³ Who has given us all things that pertain to the power of God, for life and worship of God, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his glory and excellence;⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you 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, self-control; and to selfcontrol, patience; and to patience; godliness;⁷ And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.⁸ For when these things are found among you and abound, you are not empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ.⁹ But he who lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.¹⁰ For this very reason, my brethren, be diligent; for through your good deeds, you make your calling and your election sure: and when you do these things, you shall never fall:¹¹ For by so doing, an entrance shall be given freely to you 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 you know them well; and you rely on this very truth.¹³ Therefore I think it is right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;¹⁴ Knowing that shortly I must depart this life, even as our LORD Jesus Christ has shown me.¹⁵ Be diligent always, that you may be able to keep these things in remembrance; even after my departure.

¹⁶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, for we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.¹⁷ For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent and majestic glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.¹⁸ And this very voice which came from heaven we also heard when we were with him on the holy mount.

¹⁹ We have also a true word of prophecy; you do well when you look to it for guidance, as you look to the lamp that shines in a dark place until the dawn of day, when the sun will shine in your hearts:²⁰ Knowing this first, that not every prophetic writing is made clear in its own book.²¹ For the prophecy did not come by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke when they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.