1 Simon Peter, a slave and sent-off representative (or: emissary) of Jesus Christ, to (or: for) the folks obtaining by lot an equally valuable (precious; honorable) faith, conviction, trust and loyalty, along with us, within the midst of and in union with fair and equitable treatment, as well as with rightwised relationships (= covenant membership), which come from and characterize our God and Savior (Deliverer; Rescuer; Source of health and wholeness), Jesus Christ (or: Jesus, [the] Anointed One; = Jesus, [the] Messiah):"
2 May grace and peace (or: favor and harmony [= shalom]) be multiplied (or: caused to increase) to you (or: by you; in you; for you) within full (or: accurate; complete; added) intimate and experiential knowledge and insight of God, even Jesus, our Lord (or: from God as well as from Jesus, Who is our Master; or: of God, and of our Owner, Jesus),"
3 just as all those things [leading] toward life and reverence (standing in awe of goodness, with adoration; the well-being of devotion and virtuous conduct from ease, in true relation to God) [are] being now available for us from having been freely given to us (or: presented as a gift in us) from His divine power and ability through the full (accurate; complete; added) intimate and experiential knowledge of the One calling us to His own (or: by His own; for His own; in His own; [other MSS read: through]) glory and excellence in nobleness (i.e., virtues of: braveness, courage, good character, quality, self-restraint, magnificence, benevolence, reliability, moral valor)."
4 [It is] through means of which things – the precious (valuable; honorable) and greatest effects of the promises – [that] He has been freely given (or: has presented Himself as a gift) to us, to the end that through these [gifts], you folks would come to be (or: could come into existence being; should be born) people of common-being from a divine essence and nature (or: folks having a partnered share that is based upon a common existence from a divine born-instinct and native condition; or: fellow participants of a germination which is divine), while fleeing from the corruption (ruin; decay) within the dominant System (or: that is united with the secular realm; or: centered in the ordered world of society, religion, culture, economy and government; or: in the center of the aggregate of mankind), [which is] in the midst of passionate cravings (rushing emotions; lusts; violent over-desires; [or, with p72 & Aleph: fleeing the strong desire of corruption within the world])."
5 Yet, also, this same (or: And yet for this very cause): while bringing into and alongside (i.e., making full use of) all diligent haste, you folks at once fully lead the chorus of (or: completely choreograph) the excellence and nobleness (virtues of braveness, courage, good character, quality, self-restraint, magnificence, benevolence, reliability, moral valor) [being inherent] within your faith and trust; along with the intimate, experiential knowledge [being] within the excellence and nobleness (virtues of braveness, courage, good character, quality, self-restraint, magnificence, benevolence, reliability, moral valor);"
6 also the inner strength and self-restraint [which is inherent] within the intimate, experiential knowledge, as well as the persistent remaining under in humble support (or: steadfast, patient endurance) [being inherently] within the inner strength and self-restraint; and then the reverence (ease of virtuous conduct from true relation to God) [inherent] within the persistent remaining under in humble support (or: steadfast, patient endurance);"
7 and further, the brotherly affection (fondness for the fellow believers) [resident] within the reverence (awe with goodness; well-being of devout, virtuous conduct in the ease of true relation to God); and then finally, the love (uniting acceptance) within the brotherly affection."
8 You see, these things are constantly subsisting (or: supportively sub-governing; humbly ruling; beginning from below) as a possession in you folks [or, with A and others: are continually existing alongside being present for you] and are repeatedly being more than enough (abounding) – neither [being] inactive (or: ineffective) nor unfruitful (or: unproductive). He is continually setting [these] down and causing [them] to stand in accord [in you] unto the accurate, additional (or: full), experiential and intimate knowledge of our Lord (or: Owner; Master), Jesus Christ."
9 You see, the person in whom these things are not continuously present exists being (or: is) blind, constantly closing his or her eyes, taking hold of forgetfulness of (or: receiving oblivion in regard to) the cleansing from his/her old sins (mistakes of the past; former failure; [other MSS: from the results and effects of his/her former sins and errors])."
10 Wherefore (or: Because of this), brothers (= [my] family), hasten to exert yourselves to a greater extent to constantly make firm (sure-footed and steadfast) your calling (or: invitation) and election (selection; act of choosing out); for you see, in repeatedly doing these things, you can by no means (would under no circumstances) stumble once (or: at any time)."
11 For thus (in this way) the Path of entrance (or: the place and act of the Way unto) into the center or midst of the eonian reign (or: the Kingdom pertaining to and having the character and qualities of the Age; the for-the-ages sovereign influence and actions) of our Lord and Savior (or: Owner and Deliverer), Jesus Christ [= [the] Messiah], will continue being richly furnished and fully supplied for you (in you; to you)."
12 Wherefore (or: For this cause) it will always continue being my intent to be constantly reminding you concerning these things – even though [you are] being folks having seen and thus knowing, and ones being set and firmly established within the truth and reality [that is] being continuously present (existing alongside) [with and in you]."
13 But I am continuously considering it right, and in accord with the Way pointed out – as long as I continue existing within this tent-effect (or: tabernacle) – to keep on arousing and awakening you with a reminder,"
14 having seen and now knowing that swift [in approach] is the laying aside (or: the putting off or away) of my tent-effect (or: tabernacle; = body), according as also our Lord, Jesus Christ, made clearly visible to me (or: makes [it] evident for and in me)."
15 But I will also continue earnestly hastening (or: quickly endeavoring) to always have you, after my departure (exodus; a road out; = death), to continually make mention (or: make the recollection) of these things."
16 For we did (or: do) not experientially or intimately make known to you the power and presence (or: ability and [the] being alongside; parousia) of our Lord, Jesus Christ, by following forth in (or: by) wisely made myths (or: in being made wise by myths or fables; or: with fables modified by wisdom; or: to cleverly crafted stories), but rather, [from] becoming (or: being made to be; being birthed) eyewitnesses (onlookers; spectators) of that One's magnificence (or: of that greatness):"
17 for you see, from the side of (or: [standing] beside) Father God, [He was] receiving honor (value; preciousness) and glory (or: a reputation) from a Voice being carried to Him by the fitting greatness and majesty of glory and which came from the manifestation which called forth praise (or: = of a Sound or Shout being swept along under the magnificent grandeur of the Sh'khinah Presence) such as follows: "My Son, My Beloved One, is This One [other MSS: This One is existing being My Son, My Beloved One] into the midst of Whom I Myself placed delight [other MSS: within Whom I was well pleased, and find approval; in union with Whom I have good thoughts].""
18 And we ourselves, being together with Him within the set-apart (or: holy; sacred) mountain, heard this Voice being carried out of heaven (or: swept along from the midst of [the] atmosphere and sky)."
19 And so, we continue having (or: constantly hold) the Idea which was spoken ahead of time in and as Light (or: the prior-enlightened Thought and Reason; or: the Prophetic Word) more confirmed (validated; established; certain), by which (or: in which) you folks continue doing beautifully (performing ideally; producing finely), while continuously holding toward (= playing close attention to) [it] as to a lamp continually shining within a parched place – until which [time or occasion] the Day may shine through and a light bearer [= a morning star] may rise within your hearts (or: constantly heeding, as to a lamp progressively making things appear in a dark, dingy or dirty place, until that the Day can dawn, and a light-bringer can arise in union with your core and innermost being),"
20 constantly knowing this first, that every (or: all) previously enlightened information of Scripture [p72: prophecy and Scripture] is not coming to be unbound upon its own (or: is not being born of its own unloosing; or: is not becoming its own explaining; or: is not coming into existence upon one's own releasing),"
21 for you see, previously enlightened information (or: prophecy) was (or: is) not at any time brought by (or: in; for) [the] will (intent; resolve; purpose) of a human, but rather being continuously carried by (or: swept along under [the influence of]) [the] set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit), [some MSS add: set-apart; holy] people spoke (or: speak) from God."
1 Yet false prophets also birthed themselves (or: Now of themselves folks who pretended to have light ahead of time, or who had false knowledge and spoke before folks, came to be) among the People – as also false teachers will continue existing (or: being) among you folks, ones who will proceed to stealthily introduce (or: will continue bringing in alongside or smuggling in) destructive choices (or: destructive sects or schools; heresies marked by, and which pertain to, loss or destruction) even repeatedly denying (disowning; disclaiming) the Sovereign Owner (or: Absolute Master) having purchased them (or: buying them at the gathering, or market, place), continuously bringing swift loss, ruin or destruction upon themselves."
2 And many will progressively follow out to (for; in; by) their outrageous behaviors (extravagant or licentious conducts), on account of whom (or: because of which ones) the Way [other MSS: the glory] of the Truth and Reality will proceed being blasphemed (vilified; defamed; misrepresented with abusive slander; or: having its light hindered),"
3 and in greed (desire to take advantage in order to have more), by formed (molded; fabricated, and thus, counterfeit) words, they will constantly exploit you (use you for business; market you; use you in trade and travel by sea), to whom (or: for which folks) the sentence (or: the result of the evaluation; the effect of a separating process) [coming] from long ago (or: out of old times; forth from old) is not continuing inactive (is not constantly unemployed; is not remaining idle), and their loss (or: destruction) is not nodding in sleep or taking a nap."
4 For since (or: if) God did (or: does) not spare agents (or: folks having a, or, the message) – but who at one point were (or: are) straying from the goal (or: when failing to hit the mark; at missing the target; upon committing error) – but rather gave (or: gives) them over into an act of judging – of being repeatedly pruned (cut back for correction), while being constantly watched over, kept, maintained and protected – giving [them] the experience of Tartarus [Hellenistic mythological term and concept: the subterranean world; cf LXX, Job 40:15 (the marshlands and wild areas around the Jordan River) and 41:23 (the caverns and lower parts of deep waters and the abyss)] in dark, gloomy pits (caves; caverns) [other MSS: in ropes (or: chains; bands; cords); = in bondage]."
5 And further, He did not spare [the] original ordered arrangement (a beginning or ruling world of society and culture; or: [the] secular realm), but rather spared Noah, an eighth (idiom: = with seven others), a proclaimer (herald) of justice (righteousness; fair and equitable dealings that accord with the Way pointed out; or: = covenant participation), when bringing a deluge (an inundation) upon a world (System and society; secular order) of folks devoid of awe (or: in bringing down a washing upon a system of irreverent and impious ones),"
6 and later He correspondingly evaluated and commensurately decided about (or: condemns) [the] cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing [them] to ashes for twisting down ([= distorting the path of life]; or: by and in an overthrow; to a turning down [of activities or of life]), having placed (or: set) an example (exhibition; a result of a specimen pointed out and set under view) of folks habitually being about to be irreverent (or: to commit sacrilege without awe) [other MSS: an example of things about to happen to (or: in; among) ones without reverential awe];"
7 and yet, He drew to Himself right-living Lot (or: He Himself rescues Lot, a just one; or: He, for Himself, rescues Lot, an equitable person), a person being constantly worn down under the unrestrained and unprincipled folks (or: acts) in the midst of [their] outrageous (extravagant; licentious; indulgent) conduct (mode of living)."
8 For you see, by seeing and by hearing (or: with a look and in listening to) [this] from day to day, this fair and just person continuously dwelling in their midst kept on testing and distressing – as on the touchstone – [his] just and equitable soul (or: inner being) by [their] lawless works (or: actions and deeds which are apart from custom)."
9 [The] Lord [=Yahweh], having seen, thus knows to (or: knows how to) continuously drag out of danger (or: rescue) a reverent person (one standing in devout goodness, in awe and in virtuous conduct with ease and well-being from relationship with God) from out of the midst of a trial (or: ordeal; [other MSS: trials]), yet to constantly keep in custody, guard, watch over and maintain unjust folks (people who live contrary to the Way pointed out; unrightwised folks) [who are] being repeatedly pruned (or: being progressively corrected), [which is leading] unto a day of evaluating for making a decision [about their progress] (or: of judging [condition]),"
10 yet especially (or: most of all) the people continually passing from one place to another after flesh (= aspects of the natural realm; = expressions or experiences of the estranged self or the human nature that has been conformed to the System) in defiling (polluting; staining) lust (over-desire; full passion), even habitually thinking disparagingly (scorning; despising; down-thinking) of lordship (ownership; constituted authority). [These are] presumptuous folks (audacious ones), self-pleasing people (willfully arrogant ones), continuously slandering (defaming; speaking injuriously about; obscuring the light of; vilifying) reputations,"
11 whereas agents (or: messengers; folks with a/the message) [who] are being greater in strength and power (or: ability) [than these folks], are not normally (or: habitually) bringing slanderous separating (or: defaming decision-making; injurious discriminating; or: a light-obscuring judicial process) down on or against them before (or: beside) [the] Lord [=Yahweh]."
12 But these, as irrational (wordless; unreasoning) living ones (or: animals), being creatures of instinct having been born unto capture and then corruption (decay; ruin), within which things – being continuously ignorant – they are constantly blaspheming (speaking slander, insult and abusive speech; injuriously vilifying; or: hindering the Light) within their corruption, and they will be progressively ruined (spoiled; corrupted),"
13 being folks habitually wronging themselves (or, reading as a passive: being wronged; suffering injustice) [other MSS: will be ones getting for themselves] – a wage of unrighteousness (inequity; injustice; wrong; nonobservance of the Way pointed out) – folks continuously leading or governing, while considering the luxury (or: softness and daintiness; delicate living; effeminateness) in daytime (in broad daylight) a pleasure (enjoyment; gratification). [They are] spots (or: stains) and disgraceful flaws [that] are continuously living within luxury amidst their delusions (or: deceptions) [other MSS: love-feasts] – folks repeatedly feasting (or: banqueting) together with you folks –"
14 people always having bulging eyes very full of an adulteress (= for nothing but adultery), and being unceasing regarding sin and error; people by habit using bait to entrap unstable souls (= people); folks constantly having a heart that has been exercised (trained in gymnastic discipline) regarding greed (desire for advantage and riches); children of a cursing (or: having the qualities and character of [the] curse)."
15 By practice leaving behind [other MSS: at one point abandoning] [the; a] straight path (road; Way), they were (or: are) led astray (or: caused to wander), following out the path (road; way) of Balaam of Bosor [other MSS: Beor] who loved [the] wage of injustice (inequity; wrongdoing; unrighteousness; nonobservance of the Way pointed out)."
16 But he had an exposure and a rebuke leading to conviction regarding his own transgression of law: a voiceless yoke-animal – emitting a sound in a voice of a man – hindered (or: checked) the insanity (madness; being beside one's thinking) of the prophet."
17 These people are (or: exist being) springs without water and clouds (or: mists; fogs) being constantly driven by (or: under) a storm (or: a squall), for whom the gloom of the darkness has been kept for an indefinite period of time."
18 For you see, in continuously uttering over-swollen (over-weighted; extravagant; pompous) things pertaining to emptiness (vanity; futility), they are constantly using bait to trap – in the midst of cravings (or: full passions) of flesh (= alienated human nature) by outrageous (or: licentious) behavior – those folks scarcely [other MSS: actually] fleeing from the people habitually twisting themselves up in deception (in wandering),"
19 while constantly promising freedom (or: liberty) to them, they themselves continuously subsist inherently being slaves of the corruption (the ruin; the decay) – for you see, by whom (or: by what) anyone has been, and now exists being, made inferior (or: less), to this one (or: by this thing) he has [some MSS add: also] been enslaved, and now exists as a slave."
20 For if, fleeing from the stains (pollution; defilements) of the ordered System (dominant world of religion, society, culture, economy and politics; or: secular realm), within an accurate (or: full; added) intimate and experiential knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but yet being interwoven (intertwined) back again in (or: by) these things, they are continuing to be inferior (less; or: they are repeatedly worsted), the last things (situations; conditions) have come to be (or: have been birthed) for them (to them; in them; with them) worse than the first ones."
21 For it were better for them (or: it was existing better to and in them) to have not known (not to have come to an experiential full knowledge of) the Way (road; path) of the fair and equitable dealing (justice; righteousness; or: = covenant participation) than, fully knowing, to turn below (or: back) from out of [other MSS: to bend back, into the things which are behind, from] the set-apart implanted goal (holy impartation of the finished product and destiny within; sacred inward directive) – the one being given over (committed; delivered alongside) to them."
22 Now it has walked (or: stepped) together for them (to them; in them) – the true proverb (saying; byword): "a dog turning about upon its own vomit, " and "a sow (or: hog), into a rolling (wallowing-place) of mire, bathing itself!""
1 O beloved ones, this [is] already a second letter [that] I am writing to you, within which I am thoroughly arousing (raising through; thoroughly awakening) your complete thought process (intellect, comprehension and the things going through the mind) which has been evaluated in sunlight (or: your sunlight-separated, sincere understanding), in union with a putting in mind (or: a remembrance) [and]"
2 to be born in mind (or: to be called to mind), about the flowing declarations (or: gush-effects; results of the flow) having been spoken beforehand by the set-apart (or: holy; sacred) prophets, even (or: as well as) the sent-forth representatives (emissaries) which pertained to you folks, of the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product and destiny within; inward directive) of, from and which is, the Lord and Savior (Deliverer),"
3 while continuing in knowing this first, by experience, that upon [the] last (or: final [phases]) of these (or: the) days mockers (scoffers) will proceed coming and going – in mocking (scoffing; deriding), according to their own cravings (or: in correspondence to their personal full passions), folks continually traveling from one place to another (or: = people normally ordering their lives according to their personal desires) –"
4 even saying, "Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers were put (or: lulled) to sleep, all things (or: everything) constantly remain (s) thus (in this way or manner) throughout, from [the] beginning of creation (the framing; the reduction from a state of disorder).""
5 You see, it continues unnoticed and unrecognized – [by] those folks habitually desiring this [to be the case] (or: = they deliberately ignore the fact) – that skies (or: atmospheres; heavens) and land were continuously existing from long ago (or: = from ancient times) – from out of the midst of water, and through water – being made to stand together (being placed or put together) by (or: in; with) the Word (Logos; thought and idea; reason) of God (or: which is God),"
6 through which [very waters; or: directives of His Word] the ordered System (world of culture and relationships) of that time destroyed (or: lost) itself, being washed down (inundated; deluged) by water."
7 Yet at the present time the heavens and the earth (or: the atmospheres and skies, as well as the land), by the same Word (or: in the same Logos) – having been collected and being stored up as treasure, by (or: in; for; with) fire – continuously exist, being constantly kept (watched, guarded and maintained) with a view to a day of separating for deciding (or: with the character of evaluating for judging), as well as of loss, ruin or destruction which pertains to the irreverent humans (or: of people devoid of reverential awe toward God)."
8 Yet now this one thing [p72: But in this] – let it not continue unnoticed, escape your detection, or be hidden from you – beloved ones, one day beside the Lord [is] as a thousand years, and yet a thousand years [is] as one day."
9 The Lord [= Yahweh] is not continually delaying the promise, as certain folks consider delay, but rather is constantly patient (long of emotion and slow in passion; long before rushing heatedly) unto you, constantly not intending any folks to be lost (or: to destroy themselves), but to the contrary, [for] all people to make room, allow space, give way and progress into a change of mind (or: = repentance and a return to God)."
10 So the day of the Lord [= Yahweh] will proceed in arriving as a thief [i.e., suddenly and without notice], in which [day] the heavens (or: atmospheres; or: skies) will proceed passing by with the noise of sudden movement, but yet rudimentary, elementary principles (or: basic component and parts of a system arranged in rows, or a grid; e.g., the elements and assumptions of a religious or intellectual system), being progressively heated as with a burning fever, will be progressively loosed (unfastened; unbound; or: nullified; destroyed). And then land (or: soil; ground; earth; or: = a territory) – along with the things produced (or: actions; deeds; workmanships; accomplishments) [note: God's and/or man's] within the midst of it – will continue being found (or: discovered; found out) [p72 adds: being progressively loosed (or: destroyed); A reads: will be burned up]!"
11 With all these people thus, then, being presently loosed, one after another (or: being in the process of being progressively unbound; or: with all these things being continuously dissolved in this way), in what sort of way is it continuously necessary and binding for you folks [other MSS: us; other MSS have no personal pronoun here] to constantly subsist (or: humbly rule or supportively possess)? Within set-apart (or: holy; sacred), upturned modes of behavior and [lives of] reverence (devout ease, virtuous conduct and goodness from relationship with God)!"
12 – while constantly being receptive toward and progressively hastening after the presence of God's Day (or: the presence, which is God's day; or: the presence of the day which has the quality and character of God and which is God), through which heavens (or: skies; atmospheres) – being continuously on fire – will be loosed (or: untied)! And so [the body of] elements (rudimentary principles and assumptions; component parts of the system), now being continuously intensely hot and burning, [are] presently being progressively melted down (or: liquefied)."
13 Yet we, according to (or: down from and in line with) the effect and result of His promise, are habitually receptive toward atmospheres (or: continue with an opinion face to face with heavens) new in kind and quality, and a land (or: soil; ground; earth) new in kind and quality, within which fairness (equitable dealings; righteousness; justice; living in rightwised relationships which accord with the Way pointed out; or: = covenant participation) is presently and permanently settled down (continuously dwelling and at home)."
14 Wherefore (or: On account of which), beloved ones, while continually being receptive toward these things, be eager to be found spotless (unblemished) folks and flawless ones (blameless folks) in Him (or: [made so] by Him; for Him), within peace and harmony [= shalom]."
15 And so, make it a habit to consider the long-suffering patience of our Lord [= Yahweh, or Christ] [to be] deliverance (salvation; wholeness and health), according as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you, in accord with (or: down from) the wisdom being given to him (or: by him),"
16 even as in all the letters, habitually speaking in them concerning these things, in which certain things are misunderstood (or: imperceptible to the mind; hard to understand), which the unlearned folks and unstable ones (unfounded ones; people not set fast and firm) repeatedly distort, as by twisting them out of place on a rack – as also the rest of the writings (or: Scriptures) – toward their own loss (or: ruin; destruction)."
17 You, then, beloved ones, being ones by repeated experiences previously acquainted [with this] (or: knowing beforehand by experiences), be constantly on watch, guard, and keep yourselves in custody, lest – at some point being carried (or: led) away together by the deception (or: in straying; or: to deceit) of the unestablished (unprincipled; inordinate; lawless) folks – you could fall out from your own state of fixed firmness (or: steadfastness)."
18 So be continually growing and increasing within grace and in union with favor, as well as [in] intimate, experiential knowledge and insight of (or: the source of which is) our Lord (Owner; Master) and Savior (or: Deliverer; Rescuer; Restorer to health and wholeness), Jesus Christ (or: Anointed Jesus; = Jesus the Messiah). By Him (or: To Him; For Him; In Him) [is] the glory (the manifestation which calls forth praise) both now and on into a Day that lasts for an indefinite period of time, and which is [the] Age (or: unto a day whose character and quality is [the] Age; or: into the midst of a day whose source is [the] Age [of the Messiah]; or: to a day which belongs to [the] Age; into a Day which is an age). It is so (or: Count on it; Amen)! [written circa A. D. 61-62 – Based on the critical analysis of John A.T. Robinson]"