1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; 7and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. 8For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. 11For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
12Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth. 13I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.
16For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts, 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. 21For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
Peter, also known as Simon or Cephas, was a married fisherman (1 Cor 9:5) living in Capernaum (Mark 1:30) when Jesus called him to be a “fisher of men.” Peter became the leader of the apostles and disciples; the Roman Catholic Church believes that he was the first pope of Rome, but this is neither attested in the New Testament nor in the earliest church history. His name is always mentioned first in the lists of the Twelve, and he accompanied Jesus at several important moments in Jesus ministry- the transfiguration (Mark 9:22) and the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32). Peter was also the first to confess Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16) and was spokesman for the Apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-40). Impetuous and spontaneous, Peter often spoke or acted before thinking, like when he offered to build a tabernacle to Moses and Elijah (Matt 17:1-5), when he cut off Malchus’ ear in the Garden (Luke 22:50) or denying Jesus several times after promising he would never do so (Luke 22:54-62). Church tradition says Peter was martyred on a cross, but he requested to be crucified upside down, saying that he was not worthy to die as his Lord had died.