2 Peter
From the Greek Codex Sinaiticus
About
A letter, traditionally believed to be written by the Apostle Peter, as claimed in the text. It claims to follow the previous letter of 1 Peter. If true, it must have been written before AD 68, when Peter was said to have been executed.
Is it inspired?
Some doubt its authenticity because there are no direct quotes from it among the early ‘Church Fathers,’ and because the writing style is somewhat different to 1 Peter. However, the letter may have been written by a secretary, and it’s very short, with similar themes to other writings. Also, the writing style of an author can change over time.
It was first accepted as inspired scripture by the ‘bishop’ (or overseer) Clement of Rome, who died in AD 99, although it took longer for the wider community to accept it as such. Note that being accepted as inspired is different to being accepted as genuine. A letter can be regarded as genuine, but not regarded as inspired.
Not accepted by Aramaic speakers at first
The Aramaic version of this letter was probably translated from Greek several centuries after it was first written. Therefore, the Aramaic is not very helpful when translating this text, as it was translated so late that it would just copy across any early corruptions in the Greek. For this reason, we don’t automatically defer to the Aramaic text in this book if it disagrees with the Greek. If we do, it will be marked in a translator note.
This happened because 2 Peter was one of the ‘Western Five’ books (2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation) that were not originally accepted as inspired by Aramaic-speaking Christians, and were therefore not included in the Peshitta (the standard Aramaic/Syriac Bible) until later.
They may have believed it to be a genuine letter from the Apostle, but believing that a letter is genuine and believing it’s inspired are two very different things.
- Learn more about what Bible books are inspired.
- See our timeline on Bible canon formation.
Source
We’ve translated it from Codex Sinaiticus, one of the oldest and most complete Greek manuscripts dating from the 300s AD.
Translation
- Known and suspected fake words and phrases commonly included in popular translations are
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- Text that’s missing from our source manuscript, but filled in from another source, is marked with [[double brackets]].
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- The original texts had no chapter or verse numbers, paragraph breaks, line breaks, margins, punctuation, or capital letters. These are all added for clarity, but be aware that they can sometimes subtly alter the meaning. Learn more.
- Words [inserted] by the translator for clarity are always in [brackets]. These are not part of the original source text. Learn more.
Approval
This translated text has been proofread against our original Greek source manuscript. It was approved by the editor on July 19, 2025.
1
Introduction
1Simon Peter, a slave and Apostle of JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One, to all those who’ve received a faith that’s just as precious to us, through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior, JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One:
2May loving care and peace grow for you, through coming to a higher knowledge of The God, and of our Lord JesusYeshuaIshoa, the Anointed One.
3Since his divine power has granted us everything when it comes to life and godliness, through the thorough knowledge of the one who called us by means of his own glory and excellence… 4And through whom he’s given us the most precious and greatest promises, so that through these things you might become sharers in the divine nature – now that you’ve escaped from the desire for corruption that’s in this system of things!
Qualities to Add to Your Faith
5And then, for this very reason, having applied all zeal…
Into your faith, add virtue,
And into your virtue, [add] knowledge,
6And into the knowledge, [add] self-control,
And into the self-control, [add] endurance,
And into the endurance, [add] godliness,
7And into the godliness, [add] brotherly love,
And into the brotherly love, [add] [selfless] love.
8For if you’re filled and overflowing with these things, they’ll keep you from being lazy or from failing to produce fruitage when it comes to gaining a higher knowledge of our Lord JesusYeshuaIshoa, the Anointed One.
9You see, the one who doesn’t have these qualities is blind and short-sighted; he’s forgotten his purification from his old sinful ways!
10Therefore, brothers… Be zealous when it comes to making your calling and electing a sure thing by means of good works!
For by doing these things, you’ll never stumble, 11and this is how you’ll be richly supplied with entry into the age-long Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One.
Why Peter Reminds You
12This is why I will always remind you of these things, despite the fact that you already know [them] and are firmly rooted in the truth at hand.
13However, as long as I’m in this temporary dwelling, I consider it right and proper to wake you up by reminding you, 14since I realize that this ‘tent’ will soon be set aside – as our Lord JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One has indicated to me.
15Therefore, I’m going to do everything I can, every time [I can], so that you’ll still remember these things after I’m gone.
How Peter Saw JesusYeshuaIshoa Glorified
16Now, what we’ve told you about the power and presence of the Lord JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One wasn’t some cleverly-devised myth that we just made up… Rather, we became eyewitnesses to his magnificence!
17For he was honored and glorified by God, the Father, through a voice that came to him… A voice from the Magnificent Glory, when it said:
‘This is My Son, the beloved, in whom I’ve approved.’ [Matthew 17:5]
18Yes, we heard this voice carried from heaven, while we were with him on the Holy Mountain! 19Thanks to this, we have the prophetic word made more certain to us.
So you do well to pay attention to it!
For it’s like a lamp that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
True vs. False Prophecy
20Firstly, understand this:
No prophecy in Scripture arose from [somebody’s] own interpretation, 21nor did prophecy come about by human effort.
Rather, holy men of The God spoke as they were being led by holy breath.
2
1However, just as there were false prophets in the world, there’ll be false teachers among you! They’ll introduce ruinous heresies and deny the master who bought them, which will bring swift ruin upon themselves.
2Yet, many will follow their disgusting ways. And because of them, the glory of the truth will be slandered. 3Also, driven by greed, they’ll exploit you with deceptive words.
Ancient Examples of Judgment
[However,] the ancient judgment upon them isn’t idle… And their destruction hasn’t fallen asleep!
4[After all,] if The God didn’t spare the [spirit] messengers who sinned, but [instead, he] confined them in darkness, [and] having thrown them into ‘Tartarus’, he delivered them to punishment [and] to be held for judgment.
5Nor did he spare the first system of things… But he guarded Noah, a preacher of righteousness (the eighth [person spared]), when he brought a downpour upon that world of godless people.
6Also, he condemned the city of Sodom and [the city of] GomorRah, reducing them to ashes and overthrowing them.
He made them an example for those who are going to live godlessly.
7[Yet, remember that] [God] protected righteous Lot, who was deeply disturbed by the lewd conduct of those lawless individuals. 8For what he saw and heard each day while he was living among them tortured his righteous soul with [their] lawless actions.
9So, [understand that] [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” knows how to rescue devout people from temptation, while he keeps the unrighteous, [already] being punished, for [a] day of judgment.
The Immoral
10This is especially true of those who chase after flesh in filthy defilement and who despise authority… They’re bold and arrogant; they don’t tremble when blaspheming glories.
11Even the [spirit] messengers (who are much stronger and more powerful [than they are]) wouldn’t bring a blasphemous judgment against them before [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”!
12So, people like that are like unreasoning animals, naturally born to be caught and killed. And because they speak badly of things that they don’t understand, they’ll be utterly destroyed in their own corruption!
13Yes, they consider pleasure to be the reward they get for their unrighteousness, namely, spending their days indulging in luxury… They’re spots and flaws, indulging in their deceptions as they party with you!
14Such ones have eyes that are full of adultery and incessant sins, [trying to] entice unstable souls; their minds have been trained to want things that aren’t theirs.
They’re children of a curse!
15For they’ve abandoned the straight path and have been led astray, following the course of BalaAm, who loved the reward for doing what was wrong, 16but a farm animal (which couldn’t speak) was about to scold [him] for going beyond his own limits… Yes, it spoke in a man’s voice and stopped the prophet’s madness!
17Such people are like springs without any water, and like clouds being blown by storms that are reserved for the gloom of darkness.
18For they talk in big, pompous ways about vanity, as they entice [people] with fleshly lusts and debauchery… Luring those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.
19They keep promising them freedom, while they are personally slaves to corruption… For a person is a slave to whatever conquers them.
20If, therefore, anyone who has escaped the filth of this system by coming to an accurate knowledge of our Lord and Savior (JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One) then gets entangled in it again, they are conquered [again], and their new state is worse than what they had before!
21Therefore, it would be better for such ones if they’d never fully known the way of righteousness than, having fully known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them!
22So what’s happened to them is just as the proverb truthfully says, that [a] dog:
‘returns to its own vomit’ [Proverbs 26:11]
And ‘[a] pig who washed herself [returns] to wallowing in the mud!’
3
Reminders About the Last Days
1My loved ones:
This is now the second letter that I’ve written to you.
Through these [letters], I’m trying to shake you into remembering your sincere thoughts, 2to be reminded of what the holy prophets used to say, and the commandment of your Apostles, that of the Lord and Savior.
3First, recognize this:
In the last days there’ll be ridiculers who will ridicule… They’ll go off to follow their own desires, 4then they’ll [mockingly] ask:
‘So where’s his promised appearance [that we’ve been hearing about] since our ancestors fell asleep?
‘Everything’s just the same as it’s been since the beginning of creation!’
5However, what’s hidden from them (because they want it to be so) is this:
Even though the ancient skies and lands were, by God’s Word, formed out of water and through water, 6it was through these [things] that the world back then was flooded and destroyed.
7But now, it’s by this same Word that the skies and the lands today have been stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment, and the ruin of those ungodly men!
God is Patient with You
8But loved ones:
Don’t overlook the fact that one day to [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” is like [a] thousand years, and [a] thousand years is like one day [Psalm 90:4].
9For the Lord isn’t slow when it comes to his promise, as some people think. Rather, he’s being patient with you, because he doesn’t want anyone to be lost… [He wants] everyone to repent!
10However, the Lord’s Day will come [unexpectedly] just like a thief! On which [day] the skies will pass away with a roar, and its basic elements, becoming extremely hot, will melt.
Then the earth and everything being done in it will be discovered!
11So, since all of this is about to be dissolved, what sort of people should you be when it comes to holy conduct and godliness?
12Yes, we’re awaiting and anticipating the appearance of The God’s Day, through which…
‘…the skies, burning, will be dissolved, and [their] basic parts will be melted.’ [Isaiah 34:4]
13But we’re also awaiting fresh skies and [an] empty land, according to his promises, in which righteousness dwells!
14Therefore, loved ones:
Since we’re [truly] expecting these things, we should be swift about making ourselves flawless and spotless, so we’ll be found to be at peace with him!
15[You should] consider our Lord’s patience to be salvation… Just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom he was given, 16which [is something] he talks about in all his letters.
Yes, some of [what he writes] is hard to understand, so it is being twisted by the ignorant and unstable, the same as they are doing to the rest of the Scriptures, to their own ruin.
17So to you, my loved ones:
Since you’ve been warned, be careful that you aren’t led astray by the bad things that these lawless people are doing and then lose your grip on your firm convictions!
18Rather, keep growing in the loving care and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, JesusYeshuaIshoa the Anointed One.
May he be glorified now and into that day of the age.
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