2 Peter 1:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

NIV: Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

NASB: Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

CSB: Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ:To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

NLT: This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

KJV: Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

NKJV: Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

This letter begins in the style of the time by identifying the author. He uses both his given name in its older Jewish form, Simeon, as well as the name given to him by Jesus: Peter. Peter further identifies himself as both an honored servant / slave of Jesus, as well as Christ's apostle. "Apostle" was an official position in the early church filled by those who had been specifically chosen and commissioned by Jesus to fulfill His mission. Thus, Peter declares that he is under the authority of Christ, as well as having authority from Christ to deliver the commands and instructions which will follow in this letter.

Peter writes to Christian believers. Every saved Christian has received a faith of the same kind as, and of equal standing to, that of Peter and the other apostles. There is only one faith in Christ—not multiple faiths, not better and lesser faiths—and that one faith is something we receive by the righteousness of Jesus. Peter is making a critical point here. Nobody is righteous because they were smart enough, or special enough on their own, to have faith in Christ. Leaders within the church are not morally or spiritually more valuable than others. It is only by Christ's righteousness that we receive this precious, enormously valuable faith. Jesus secured this faith for us.

Peter adds another declaration here in calling Jesus "our God and Savior." This phrasing leaves no doubt that Jesus is, in fact, God. Elsewhere, Peter attests to the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here, though, he reinforces the truth that Jesus is fully God.

2 Peter 1:1–2 serves as Peter’s opening greeting to his readers. He identifies himself both by the older form of his Jewish name—''Simeon''—and the more well-known name which he was given by Jesus. He writes to believers, those who share his faith because of Jesus’ righteousness, wishing them grace and peace in the knowledge of God and Jesus.

Peter begins this brief letter to Christians by reminding them they are not missing anything they need to lead the good and godly lives they are called to. They must work, then, to add to their faith the goodness and qualities of Jesus. This requires effort, unlike eternal salvation which is not based on our work. Those who lack these positive attributes will live as unproductive and ineffective servants of God, nearly as blind as unbelievers and forgetting that their sins are forgiven. Peter, near death, insists that his eyewitness testimony about the transfiguration confirms that the prophecies about the Messiah are true. Jesus is coming back.

Peter begins his letter by urging his Christian readers not to be unproductive in their knowledge of Jesus. Rather, they should work to add all of Christ’s qualities to their lives. Then Peter begins to lay a foundation to support his attack on the false teachers in the church. He also introduces ideas supporting his declaration that the Day of the Lord is coming. Later chapters will use the background of this first chapter to support those arguments.

Apparently written shortly before his death in the AD 60s, 2 Peter may have been written to the same audience as 1 Peter, which was Christians scattered by persecution. Peter writes this letter to encourage Christians to live out the purpose of their lives in Christ. He warns readers to beware of teachers who claim to be believers, but present a false version of Christianity. And, Peter calls on all Christians to eagerly watch and wait for the return of the Lord.