1我是耶穌基督的奴僕和使徒西門·彼得，寫信給藉著我們的上帝和救主耶穌基督的義，與我們得到同樣寶貴信心的人。
2願你們因認識上帝和我們主耶穌而得到豐富的恩典和平安！
追求長進
3因為我們認識了用自己的榮耀和美德呼召我們的上帝，上帝以祂神聖的能力將生命與敬虔所需要的一切賜給了我們。 4藉此，祂已將既寶貴又偉大的應許賞給了我們，使我們脫離世上私慾帶來的敗壞，能夠有份於上帝的性情。
5正因如此，你們要加倍努力，不僅要有信心，還要有好的德行；不僅要有好的德行，還要有知識； 6不僅要有知識，還要有節制；不僅要有節制，還要有忍耐；不僅要有忍耐，還要有敬虔； 7不僅要有敬虔，還要有愛弟兄姊妹的心；不僅要有愛弟兄姊妹的心，還要有愛眾人的心。 8如果充分具備了這些品德，你們對我們主耶穌基督的認識就不會停滯不前，毫無收穫。 9缺乏上述品德的人不是瞎眼就是目光短淺，忘記他從前的罪已經得到潔淨。
10所以，弟兄姊妹，你們要更加努力，以確定自己蒙了呼召和揀選。這樣，你們就絕不會失足犯罪， 11進入我們的主和救主耶穌基督永恆國度的大門必為你們敞開。
12雖然你們已經知道這些事，並且在所領受的真道上也很堅固，但我還是要常常提醒你們。 13我覺得應當趁著我還在世的時候1·13 「還在世的時候」希臘文是「還在這帳篷裡的時候」，作者用帳篷代表自己的身體。提醒你們，激勵你們， 14因我知道自己離世的日子已經不遠了，正如我們的主耶穌基督指示我的。 15我要盡力使你們在我離世以後仍然常常記得這些事。
見證基督的榮耀
16我們從前告訴你們有關主耶穌基督的大能和祂降臨的事，並非根據巧妙虛構的神話，而是我們親眼見過祂的威榮。 17祂從父上帝那裡得到了尊貴和榮耀，那時從極大的榮光中有聲音對祂說：「這是我的愛子，我甚喜悅祂。」 18當時我們和祂一同在聖山上，親耳聽見了這來自天上的聲音。
19這使我們更加確信先知的預言。你們要留意這些預言，把這些預言看作照耀在黑暗中的明燈，一直到天破曉、晨星在你們心中升起。 20你們首先該知道：聖經上的一切預言都不可隨人的私意解釋， 21因為預言絕非出於人的意思，都是人受了聖靈的感動，講出上帝的信息。
1I, Simon Peter, am writing this letter. I serve Jesus Christ. I am his apostle.
I am sending this letter to you. You are those who have received a faith as valuable as ours. You received it because our God and Savior Jesus Christ does what is right.
2May more and more grace and peace be given to you. May they come to you as you learn more about God and about Jesus our Lord.
Showing That God Has Chosen You
3God’s power has given us everything we need to lead a godly life. All of this has come to us because we know the God who chose us. He chose us because of his own glory and goodness. 4He has also given us his very great and valuable promises. He did it so you could share in his nature. You can share in it because you’ve escaped from the evil in the world. This evil is caused by sinful desires.
5So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge. 6To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness. 7To godliness, add kindness for one another. And to kindness for one another, add love. 8All these things should describe you more and more. They will make you useful and fruitful as you know our Lord Jesus Christ better. 9But what if these things don’t describe someone at all? Then that person can’t see very well. In fact, they are blind. They have forgotten that their past sins have been washed away.
10My brothers and sisters, try very hard to show that God has appointed you to be saved. Try hard to show that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall. 11You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts forever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prophecy of Scripture Comes From God
12So I will always remind you of these things. I’ll do it even though you know them. I’ll do it even though you now have deep roots in the truth. 13I think it is right for me to remind you. It is right as long as I live in this tent. I’m talking about my body. 14I know my tent will soon be removed. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me. 15I hope that you will always be able to remember these things after I’m gone. I will try very hard to see that you do.
16We told you about the time our Lord Jesus Christ came with power. But we didn’t make up clever stories when we told you about it. With our own eyes we saw him in all his majesty. 17God the Father gave him honor and glory. The voice of the Majestic Glory came to him. It said, “This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.” (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35) 18We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven. We were with him on the sacred mountain.
19We also have the message of the prophets. This message can be trusted completely. You must pay attention to it. The message is like a light shining in a dark place. It will shine until the day Jesus comes. Then the Morning Star will rise in your hearts. 20Above all, here is what you must understand. No prophecy in Scripture ever came from a prophet’s own understanding of things. 21Prophecy never came simply because a prophet wanted it to. Instead, the Holy Spirit guided the prophets as they spoke. So, although prophets are human, prophecy comes from God.
