Chapter 1

  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 Savior Jesus Christ:  

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  Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  

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  According as his divine power hath given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  

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  Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  

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  And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  

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  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  

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  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  

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  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

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  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purified from his old sins.  

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  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  

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  For so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

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  Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the present truth.  

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  Indeed, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;  

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  Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me.  

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  Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance.  

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  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.  

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  For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  

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  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him on the holy mount.  

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  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; to which ye do well that ye take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:  

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  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  

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  For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  

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