2 Peter 1:1-41Simon 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 Saviour Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According 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: 4Whereby are given unto 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. (2 Peter 1:1‑4).2PE 1:1-41Simon 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 Saviour Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3According 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: 4Whereby are given unto 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. (2 Peter 1:1‑4)
(Verse 1.)
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us IN (εν) the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:
(Verse 2, and last half of verse 3.)
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you THROUGH (εν) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord; [ * * ] THROUGH (εν) the knowledge of him who hath called us BY glory and virtue: δια δοξης και απετης—see margin.)
(First half of verse 3, transposed.)
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
(Verse 4.)
BY WHOM (Δἰ ων—i.e. God and our Savior Jesus Christ, see verse 1,) are given unto 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.
THE preposition εν may be rendered either THROUGH or Dr; the context alone determining which it should be. Now it is not, because in verses 2 and 3 this word must be translated THROUGH, that the same thing holds good with regard to it in verse 1. There we believe it should be rendered m "We have obtained like precious faith," not "through" but "in the righteousness of God our Savior Jesus Christ:" simply meaning that those here addressed believe in God's salvation; have apprehended "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ," (Rom. 3:2222Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22).)
Observe, the two asterisks mark the true place of the first half of verse 3, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness;" which is here merely for the moment transposed, not with any view to disturb the present and proper order of scripture, but only as a means of aiding the mind in dissecting, and so of understanding, the passage.
Δι’ων—By whom-Wickliff, observe, and the. Rheims edition, thus render these words.