2 Peter 1:6
in 2 Peter 1and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;
KJV
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
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This verse in 2 Peter 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseTemperance - A proper and limited use of all earthly enjoyments, keeping every sense under proper restraints, and never permitting the animal part to subjugate the rational. Patience - Bearing all trials and difficulties with an even mind, enduring in all, and persevering through all. Godliness - Piety towards God; a deep, reverential, religious fear; not only worshipping God with every becoming outward act, but adoring, loving, and magnifying him in the heart: a disposition indispensably necessary to salvation, but exceedingly rare among professors.
This site's exposition
add to your faith virtue
on 2 Peter 1:5-7
And beside this turns gift into diligence: add is epichoregeo, the word for the wealthy citizen who furnished a chorus, lavish supply rather than bare addition. The ladder runs eight rungs, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, each grace supplied in the one before it, faith the root and charity the crown as in Paul. The order is not accidental: knowledge follows virtue in a letter fighting men whose knowledge served their lusts.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. The step leads to promotion: first indeed faith, which is …
The Medieval Church4 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
To this piety blessed Peter invites us, who was the other Apostle, in his second Canonical epistle saying: "Supply in faith virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge abstinence, in abstinence patience, in patience piety, in piety brotherly love, and in brotherly love charity." What does …
And in knowledge, temperance. So that when they have learned to do well, immediately they abstain from evils, lest knowledge of heavenly things fall in vain, if one neglects to restrain himself from earthly temptations.
And in temperance, patience. It is always necessary that temperance is accompanied by patience, so that whoever has learned to restrain himself from the pleasures of the world may also endure adversities with a firm heart, armed for justice from the right hand and the …
And in patience, godliness. So that he may be kind towards those whom he patiently endures, according to that of the apostle Paul: "Charity is patient, is kind" (1 Corinthians 13).
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then comes self-control. For it too is needed by the one who has attained the aforementioned measure, lest he become proud of the greatness of the gift. And since with short-lived self-control one cannot secure the gift for oneself (for the passions, despite the freedom …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The more knowledge you have, the more renounce your own will; indulge yourself the less. "Knowledge puffeth up," and the great boasters of knowledge (the Gnostics) were those that "turned the grace of God into wantonness." But see that your knowledge be attended with temperance. Christian temperance implies the voluntary abstaining from all pleasure which does not lead to God.
And to knowledge, temperance,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Greek, "And in your knowledge self-control." In the exercise of Christian knowledge or discernment of God's will, let there be the practical fruit of self-control as to one's lusts and passions.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And to knowledge temperance - On the meaning of the word “temperance,” see the Act 24:25 note, and 1Co 9:25 note. The word here refers to the mastery over all our evil inclinations and appetites. We are to allow none of them to obtain control over us. See the notes at 1Co 6:12. This would include, of course, abstinence from intoxicating drinks; but it would also embrace all evil passions and propensities. Everything is to be confined within proper limits, and to no propensity of our nature are we to give indulgence beyond the limits which the law of God allows. And to temperance patience - Notes, Jas 1:4. And to patience godliness - True piety. Notes, 2Pe 1:3. Compare 1Ti 2:2; 1Ti 3:16; 1Ti 4:7-8; 1Ti 6:3, 1Ti 6:5-6, 1Ti 6:11.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | into | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γνώσει | gnosei | knowledge | G1108 → | 29 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐγκράτειαν, | egkrateian | self-control, | G1466 → | |
| ἐν | en | into | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐγκρατείᾳ | egkrateia | self-control | G1466 → | |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπομονήν, | hupomonen | endurance, | G5281 → | |
| ἐν | en | into | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπομονῇ | hupomonea | endurance | G5281 → | |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐσέβειαν, | eusebeian | godliness, | G2150 → | 15 times |
ἐνinto
enG1722 →2738 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
γνώσειknowledge
gnoseiG1108 →29 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἐγκράτειαν,self-control,
egkrateianG1466 →
ἐνinto
enG1722 →2738 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἐγκρατείᾳself-control
egkrateiaG1466 →
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὑπομονήν,endurance,
hupomonenG5281 →
ἐνinto
enG1722 →2738 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ὑπομονῇendurance
hupomoneaG5281 →
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
εὐσέβειαν,godliness,
eusebeianG2150 →15 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
- 1 Corinthians 9:24–27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.
- Philippians 2:16
as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
- Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
- Hebrews 10:35–39
So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
- 2 Timothy 4:7
Through
Hebrews 10:36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set…
- Psalms 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.
- Hebrews 12:1
Through
2 Peter 1:3His 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.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 1 Peter 5:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About 2 Peter
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 2 Peter and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Peter.