2 Peter 1

Growing in grace; the Christian virtues; the reliable prophetic word.

Peter writes to those who have "obtained like precious faith" with him. God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him, granting us "exceedingly great and precious promises" by which we may be partakers of the divine nature. Peter then lays out the ladder of Christian virtues: add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. Knowing his death is near, Peter writes to remind believers of these things. He affirms the truth of the gospel as an eyewitness of the Transfiguration: "We did not follow cunningly devised fables." Scripture is reliable because "prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."