2 Peter 1:5
New International Version
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

New Living Translation
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

English Standard Version
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Berean Standard Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

Berean Literal Bible
Now also for this very reason, having brought in all earnestness, supplement into your faith virtue, and into virtue knowledge,

King James Bible
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

New King James Version
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

New American Standard Bible
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

NASB 1995
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

NASB 1977
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge;

Legacy Standard Bible
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

Amplified Bible
For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),

Christian Standard Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

American Standard Version
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when this has happened, bring all diligence and add to your faith, virtue, and unto your virtue, knowledge,

Contemporary English Version
Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge;

English Revised Version
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Because of this, make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge;

Good News Translation
For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge;

International Standard Version
For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge,

Literal Standard Version
And [for] this same [reason] also, having brought in all diligence, supplement your faith with virtue, and with virtue—knowledge,

Majority Standard Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

New American Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge,

NET Bible
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge;

New Revised Standard Version
For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge,

New Heart English Bible
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

Webster's Bible Translation
And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

Weymouth New Testament
But for this very reason--adding, on your part, all earnestness-- along with your faith, manifest also a noble character: along with a noble character, knowledge;

World English Bible
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

Young's Literal Translation
And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Partakers of the Divine Nature
4Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;…

Cross References
Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:11
and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

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

beside.

Luke 16:26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Luke 24:21
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

giving.

2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

2 Peter 3:14,18
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless…

Psalm 119:4
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

virtue.

2 Peter 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

knowledge.

2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Jump to Previous
Add Adding Applying Besides Care Cause Character Diligence Earnestness Effort Excellence Faith Goodness Joining Manifest Moral Noble Part Reason Supply Therewith Using Virtue
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Add Adding Applying Besides Care Cause Character Diligence Earnestness Effort Excellence Faith Goodness Joining Manifest Moral Noble Part Reason Supply Therewith Using Virtue
2 Peter 1
1. Peter confirms the hope of the increase of God's grace,
5. exhorts them, by faith, and good works, to make their calling sure;
12. whereof he is careful to remind them, knowing that his death is at hand;
16. and assures them of the authenticity of the Gospel, by the eyewitness of the apostles and the prophets.














(5) And beside this.--Rather, and for this very reason. The Authorised version is quite indefensible, and is the more to be regretted because it obscures a parallel between this and 1 Peter. There also we are exhorted to regulate our conduct by God's (1Peter 1:15; 1Peter 2:1; 1Peter 2:5). [In the Notes on 2Peter 1:5-8 use has been made of addresses On some Traits in the Christian Character. Camb. 1876.]

Giving all diligence.--Literally, bringing in all diligence to the side of God's gifts and promises; making your contribution in answer to His. He has made all things possible for you; but they are not yet done, and you must labour diligently to realise the glorious possibilities opened out to you.

Add to your faith virtue.--Rather, in your faith supply virtue. The error comes from Geneva; all other English versions are right. The interesting word inadequately translated "add" occurs again in 2Peter 1:11, and elsewhere only in 2Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 3:5; Colossians 2:19. Everywhere but here it is translated "minister." Sufficient explanation of the word will be found in Notes on 2Corinthians 9:10 and Galatians 3:5. The notion of rendering a service that is expected of one in virtue of one's position fits in admirably here. God gives; His blessings and promises come from His free undeserved bounty; man renders, supplies, furnishes, that which, considering the benefits which he has received, is fairly required of him. Note that we are not told to supply faith; that comes from God (Ephesians 2:8), and the Apostle assumes that his readers possess it. "Virtue" is that which is recognised by all men as excellent; the excellence of man as man. Heathen moralists had drawn a noble picture of what man ought to be; the gospel gave the command to realise a yet nobler ideal, and also gave the power by which it could be realised. . . .

Verse 5. - And beside this, giving all diligence; rather, but for this very cause also. Αὐτὸ τοῦτο is frequently used in this sense in classical Greek, but in the New Testament only here. It refers back to the last verse. God's precious gifts and promises should stimulate us to earnest effort. The verb rendered "giving" means literally "bringing in by the side;" it is one of those graphic and picturesque expressions which are characteristic of St. Peter's style. God worketh within us both to will and to do; this (both St. Paul and St. Peter teach us) is a reason, not for remissness, but for increased exertion. God's grace is sufficient for us; without that we can do nothing; but by the side (so to speak) of that grace, along with it, we must bring into play all earnestness, we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. The word seems to imply that the work is God's work; we can do very little indeed, but that very little we must do, and for the very reason that God is working in us. The word (παρεισενέγκαντες) occurs only here in the New Testament. Add to your faith virtue; literally, supply in your faith. He does not say, "supply faith;" he assumes the existence of faith. "He that cometh unto God must believe." The Greek word (ἐπιχορήγησατε) means properly to "contribute to the expenses of a chorus;" it is used three times by St. Paul, and, in its simple form, by St. Peter in his First Epistle (1 Peter 4:11). In usage it came to mean simply to "supply or provide," the thought of the chorus being dropped. So we cannot be sure that the idea of faith as leading the mystic dance in the chorus of Christian graces was present to St. Peter's mind, especially as the word occurs again in verse 11, where no such allusion is possible. The fruits of faith are in the faith which produces them, as a tree is in its seed; they must be developed out of faith, as faith expands and energizes; in the exercise of each grace a fresh grace must issue forth. Virtue is well described by Bengel as "strenuus animi tonus et vigor;" it is Christian manliness and active courage in the good fight of faith. The word "virtue" (ἀρετή), with the exception of Philippians 4:8, occurs in the New Testament only in St. Peter - in this chapter three times, and in 1 Peter 2:9, thus forming one of the kinks between the two Epistles. And to virtue knowledge. St. Peter here uses the simple word γνῶσις, discretion, a right understanding, "quae malam a bono secernit, et mali fugam docet" (Bengel). This practical knowledge is gained in the manly self-denying activities of the Christian life, and leads on to the fuller knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) of Christ (verse 8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For this
τοῦτο (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

very [reason],
αὐτὸ (auto)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

make
παρεισενέγκαντες (pareisenenkantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3923: From para and eisphero; to bear in alongside, i.e. Introduce simultaneously.

every
πᾶσαν (pasan)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

effort
σπουδὴν (spoudēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4710: (a) speed, haste, (b) diligence, earnestness, enthusiasm. From speudo; 'speed', i.e. despatch, eagerness, earnestness.

to add
ἐπιχορηγήσατε (epichorēgēsate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2023: From epi and choregeo; to furnish besides, i.e. Fully supply, aid or contribute.

to
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

faith
πίστει (pistei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

virtue;
ἀρετήν (aretēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 703: Goodness, a gracious act, virtue, uprightness. From the same as arrhen; properly, manliness, i.e. Excellence.

and
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

to
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

virtue,
ἀρετῇ (aretē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 703: Goodness, a gracious act, virtue, uprightness. From the same as arrhen; properly, manliness, i.e. Excellence.

knowledge;
γνῶσιν (gnōsin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1108: Knowledge, doctrine, wisdom. From ginosko; knowing, i.e. knowledge.


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NT Letters: 2 Peter 1:5 Yes and for this very cause adding (2 Pet. 2P iiP ii Pet)
2 Peter 1:4
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