2 Peter 1:5

Contextual Overview

⁵ 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; ⁵ For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁵ And hervnto geve all diligence: in youre fayth minister vertve and in vertue knowledge ⁵ Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁵ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,⁵ 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; ⁵ Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in [your] virtue knowledge; ⁵ And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁵ Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁵ For this very reason giving all diligence, add to your faith courage,

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
And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God named the air "sky." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven: and the evening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

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

Genesis 1:8
And God clepide the firmament, heuene. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the secounde dai.

Genesis 1:8
And God calleth to the expanse `Heavens;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning -- day second.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.

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.