by Wells, Steve
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
(4.7) “The end of all things is at hand.”
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
(4.8) “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
(4.9) “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
(4.15) “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(4.17-18) Things may get rough for Christians, but it will really be hell for nonbelievers.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(4.17) “Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
(4.18) “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?.”
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
1 PETER 5
5 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
(5.8) “The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
287 Is the devil free to roam?
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
2 PETER
Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. — 2 Peter 3.4
Although this epistle claims to have been written by Peter, he was almost certainly not its author. It was written around 90-100 CE, long after Peter’s death. The late date (probably the last of the New Testament books to be written) is suspected because: verses 3.3-4 make excuses for the failure of the expected second coming of Christ; the author refers to “all of the letters of Paul” in a way that indicates that Paul’s epistles were already considered equal to “the other scriptures;” and the epistle depends upon the letter of Jude, which is thought to have been written around 80-100 CE.
There’s some embarrassing stuff in Second Peter. Noah is a “preacher of righteousness” (2.5), Lot is “a just and righteous man” (2.7-8), God plans to burn up the entire earth (3.10), and believers were already making excuses for Jesus’ non-return 1900 years ago (3.4-8).
Here are the highlights.
“No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” That’s just your interpretation. 1.20
“There shall be false teachers among you, who … shall bring in damnable heresies … and bring upon themselves swift destruction … Their damnation slumbereth not.” 2.1-3
“God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness.” 2.4
“Noah … a preacher of righteousness.” God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah [the first drunken “preacher of righteousness” (see Gen 9.20)] and his family. 2.5, 3.6
Lot, who in Gen 19.8 offers his two virgin daughters to a crowd of angel rapers and later gets drunk and impregnates them (19.30-38), is a “just” and “righteous man.” 2.7-8
God knows how to punish those that lust or “despise government.” (Watch out Teabaggers!) 2.9-14
The author believes the story in Numbers (22.28-30) about the talking ass. 2.16
Those who lose their faith are like dogs that eat their own vomit. 2.22
The author of 2 Peter is aware of the failed expectations of early believers. He knows that Jesus, who was supposed to come soon, didn’t come at all. Many have begun to ask, “Where is the promise of his coming?” So he makes up the “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Believers have been using it ever since. 3.4-8
God will set the entire earth on fire so that he can burn non-believers to death. 3.7
When Jesus finally comes, the heavens will “pass away with a great noise” and the earth will “be burnt up.” 3.10
Paul’s epistles are hard to understand; those who try to understand them, as with the other scriptures, do so “unto their own destruction.” 3.16
2 PETER 1
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 Saviour Jesus Christ:
(1.1, 3.1) “Simon Peter”
Although this epistle claims to have been written by Peter, he was almost certainly not its author. It is thought to have been written around 90-100 CE, long after Peter’s death. The late date is suspected because: 1) verses 3:3-4 make ex
cuses for the failure of the expected second coming of Christ, 2) the author refers to “all of the letters of Paul” in a way that indicates that Paul’s epistles were already considered equal to “the other scriptures”, and 3) the epistle depends upon the letter of Jude, which is thought to have been written around 80-100 CE.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
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:
4 Whereby 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.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 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.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
13 Yea, I think it meet, 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 my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye 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 unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour 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 this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
(1.20) “No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
That’s just your interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 PETER 2
(2.1-3) The basic message of Christianity is “believe or be damned” and from this flows intolerance toward all non-Christians. But, as these verses show, Christian intolerance is often directed toward believers as well. Each group of Christians accuses the others of being “false teachers” of “damnable heresies” who will soon be damned to hell.
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
(2.1) “There shall be false teachers among you, who … shall bring in damnable heresies … and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
(2.3) “Their damnation slumbereth not.”
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
(2.4) “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness.”
287 Is the devil free to roam?
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
(2.5) “Noah … a preacher of righteousness.” God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah [the first drunken “preacher of righteousness” (see Gen 9.20)] and his family.
35 Has there ever been a righteous man?
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
(2.6) “Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes”
God’s third killing
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
(2.7-8) “Just Lot … that righteous man” Lot [who in Gen 19.8 offers his two virgin daughters to a crowd of angel rapers and later (19.30-38) impregnates them] was a “just” and “righteous man.”
33 Has the ever been a just person?
35 Has there ever been a righteous person?
60 Was Lot a righteous man?
(2.9-14) God knows how to punish those that lust or “despise government.”
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
(2.9) “The Lord knoweth how to … reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
(2.10) “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government … they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
(2.12) “As natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed … shall utterly perish in their own corruption.”
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
(2.14) “Beguiling unstable souls … cursed children.”
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
(2.16) “The dumb ass speaking with man’s voice” The author of 2 Peter believed the story in Numbers (22.28-30) about the talking ass.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he br
ought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
(2.21) “It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
442 Is it possible to fall from grace?
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(2.22) “The dog is turned to his own vomit.”
2 PETER 3
3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
(3.1) “This second epistle … I now write unto you.” See note for 1.1.
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
(3.3-8) The author of 2 Peter is aware of the failed expectations of early believers. Jesus, who was to come soon, didn’t come at all. Many “scoffers” have begun to ask, “Where is the promise of his coming?” He tries to cover for Jesus by claiming that “one day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” It has been used by believers ever since.
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
(3.3) “There shall come in the last days scoffers.”
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
(3.4) “Saying, where is the promise of his coming?”
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: