2 Peter 3:2
in 2 Peter 3by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles:
KJV
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:
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This verse in 2 Peter 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd this was commanded through the preaching of the prophets and apostles. Therefore Paul also says: "having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets" (Eph. 2:20). For they all proclaimed the coming of the Lord. And one cannot disbelieve so many witnesses. …
This site's exposition
this is now my second letter to you
on 2 Peter 3:1-2
Peter calls both his letters reminders to stir you to wholesome thinking, eilikrine, tested and found clear. Verse 2 sets the holy prophets beside what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles, one rule for the church.
This site's exposition
holy prophets
The reminder rests on the prophets and the apostles together. John Calvin reads their agreement as firm ground that no crowd of the ungodly can shake. Theophylact of Ohrid adds that both proclaimed the Lord's coming, and so many witnesses deserve belief.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
I am writing to you, dear ones, in these letters, in which I stir up your sincere mind in remembrance: that you should be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of …
The Reformation1 voice
For when we have the prophets and apostles agreeing with us, nay, as the ministers of our faith, and God as the author, and angels as approvers, there is no reason that the ungodly, all united, should move us from our position. By the commandment of the apostles he means the whole doctrine in which they had instructed the faithful.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That ye may be mindful,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
That ye may be mindful of the words - Of the doctrines, the truths; the prophetic statements. Jude Jud 1:18 says that it had been foretold by the apostles, that in the last days there would be scoffers. Peter refers to the instructions of the apostles and prophets in general, though evidently designing that his remarks should bear particularly on the fact that there would be scoffers. Which were spoken before by the holy prophets - The predictions of the prophets before the advent of the Saviour, respecting his character and work.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μνησθῆναι | mnesthenai | remembering | G3403 → | |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προειρημένων | proeiremenon | spoken beforehand | G4280 → | |
| ῥημάτων | rhematon | declarations — | G4487 → | |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίων | hagion | holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| προφητῶν | propheton | prophets | G4396 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποστόλων | apostolon | apostles | G652 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐντολῆς | entoles | commandment | G1785 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σωτῆρος· | soteros | Savior; | G4990 → | 24 times |
μνησθῆναιremembering
mnesthenaiG3403 →
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
προειρημένωνspoken beforehand
proeiremenonG4280 →
ῥημάτωνdeclarations —
rhematonG4487 →
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίωνholy
hagionG40 →220 times
προφητῶνprophets
prophetonG4396 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀποστόλωνapostles
apostolonG652 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐντολῆςcommandment
entolesG1785 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σωτῆρος·Savior;
soterosG4990 →24 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
2 Peter 2:21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:24
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of…
- Hebrews 6:4–6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.
- Ezekiel 3:20
Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his…
- Luke 12:47
That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
- Ezekiel 18:24
Through
Luke 1:70as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
it leads to
- Acts 3:21–24
Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
- Acts 3:21–24
Through
Jude 1:17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
it leads to
- 1 John 4:6
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
- Ephesians 4:11
And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
- 1 John 4:6
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Peter

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on 2 Peter and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Peter.
