Confirming them in hope of the increase of God's graces, 1-4, Peter exhorts them by faith and good works to make their calling sure, 5-11; of which he is careful to remind them, knowing that his death is at hand, 12-15; and warns them to be constant in the faith of Christ, who is the true Son of God, by the eyewitness of the apostles beholding his majesty and by the testimony of the Father and the prophets, 16-21.
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained an equally precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue, 4 Through which exceedingly great and precious promises are given to us, so that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; 6 To knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; 7 To godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. 8 For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he who lacks these things is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purified from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, give more diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you shall never fall. 11 For thus an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 Therefore, I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth. 13 Indeed, I think it proper, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance, 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle of mine, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. 15 Moreover, I will endeavor that you may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance.
16 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. 17 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." 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy, to which you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the day-star arises in your hearts, 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For prophecy did not come in old time by the will of man. But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Peter, Chapter 1[➚]
[v.17] - "such a voice" - From Gill's Exposition, "And this voice was not that at his baptism; for though that was from heaven, and from God the Father, and expressed the same words as here; yet it was not on a mount, nor from a cloud, nor was it heard by the apostles, who, as yet, were not with Christ, nor called by him; nor that of which mention is made in John 12:28, for though that also was from God the Father, and from heaven, and which declaratively gave honour and glory to Christ, yet did not express the words here mentioned; but that voice which came from the cloud, when Christ was transfigured on the mount, and which was heard by his three disciples, Peter, James, and John, when the following words were articulately pronounced, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"."
[v.18] - Reference, Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36.