SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Peter 2000

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:20

1:20

In this verse and the next Peter emphasized that people can rely on prophecy because the prophets did not speak by their own wisdom, but rather spoke what the Spirit of God inspired them to speak.

Above all: The literal meaning of the Greek is “first.” Peter wanted to emphasize that what he would say next would be very important.

no prophecy…comes from one’s own interpretation: The Greek here is more literally “No prophecy…is a matter of one’s own interpretation” (see Revised Standard Version). It is unclear whose “interpretation” Peter is referring to. There are two main ways to understand this part of the verse:

(1) Some scholars believe it refers to the prophet’s own interpretation, that is, none of the OT prophets spoke any prophecy by his own power. This meaning fits with verse 21 which says it was God’s Spirit who inspired them.

(2) Other scholars believe it refers generally to any person who hears or reads an OT prophecy. No one who hears or reads an OT prophecy should explain/interpret it by his own power. Peter was saying that no person had the right to interpret Scripture according to that person’s own ideas. If this interpretation is the correct one, then in this verse Peter was referring ahead to chapter 2 where he would speak about false teachers who twisted the meaning of Scripture as they wished. For example:

the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual (The Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
No one can interpret any prophecy of Scripture himself (New English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1). If, however, you decide to accept the second interpretation, you could translate it like this:

You must understand that when a person reads the words of the prophets in Scripture and explains the meaning of those words according to his own thinking, he is not acting rightly.

This verse is very important for doctrine, so if you have footnotes in your translation, you should include a note that explains the interpretation which you have not followed in the main text.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 3:11

Paragraph 3:11–13

Peter told the people to whom he wrote this letter that they should live in a manner that would please God because God would destroy the present earth and everything that is in it and there would be a new earth where only good people would live.

3:11–12

In the Greek, verses 11 and 12 are one sentence, but you may need to use shorter sentences in your translation as the Display has done.

3:11b

Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), and Good News Translation interpret this part of the verse as a question: “what kind of people ought you to be?” This is a rhetorical question. Peter was not asking for information. He was telling the people to whom he wrote to consider how they should behave now that they knew that God would judge the world in the way that Peter had described. Peter was advising them that it was necessary to live in a holy and godly manner if they did not want God to judge them and to condemn them.

Other translations do not have a question. For example:

think what sort of people you ought to be (New English Bible)
-or-
you should be living holy and saintly lives (The Jerusalem Bible)

3:11c

holiness: Here this means “pure, upright, dedicated to God.”

godliness: See note on “godliness” in 1:3a; also the note in 2:9a.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:11

2:11a

greater in strength and power: These two expressions mean almost the same thing, so they are probably a pair of words that Peter used together in this sentence in order to emphasize how powerful the angels that he is talking about are. Then this expression means, “have much greater power.”

In the Greek it is not clear whom Peter was saying the angels were stronger than, but in many languages it will be necessary to state this. Many scholars think that Peter meant to say that the angels were stronger than the false teachers. Others think he meant that the angels were stronger than the celestial beings. If your language requires that you say whom the angels are stronger than, we recommend that you say that they are stronger than the false teachers. For example:

so much stronger and mightier than these false teachers (Good News Translation)

2:11b

dare to bring such slanderous charges against them: Peter said that the angels do not bring slanderous accusations against them. Here is another way to translate this:

do not pronounce a reviling judgement upon them. (Good News Translation)

It is not clear to whom Peter was referring when he used the word them.

(1) In some translations, them refers to the heavenly beings of verse 10c. If this is the correct interpretation, then the meaning is that the false teachers insult the heavenly beings, but the angels, who are even more powerful, do not.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New English Bible, The Jerusalem Bible)

(2) In the Good News Translation, them refers to the false teachers. If this is the correct interpretation, then Peter was contrasting the false teachers, who insult the heavenly beings, with the angels. Even when the angels are telling God about the wrong things the false teachers have done, they do not use insulting language to do so.

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).

Lord: This is referring to God, not Christ, in this verse. See note on 2:9a.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:10

1:10a

Peter told the people to whom he wrote this letter that they should demonstrate by behaving well that God had called them to be his people. When other people saw the Christians behaving well, it would help the other people to understand that God had called the Christians to be his people.

brothers: Peter called the people to whom he wrote this letter his “brothers” because they were also members of God’s family. This was a common way for New Testament writers to address those to whom they were writing (see Galatians 1:11; Hebrews 3:12; James 1:2; 1 John 3:13). It may be advisable to translate this as “fellow believers” so that people who read your translation will not think that Peter was writing to his physical brothers.

strive: The Greek contains a word here that the Berean Standard Bible has left implicit. However, this word is in most translations and can have one of two meanings:

(1) “more.” Most English versions interpret it in this way. They say that here it modifies the meaning of the word strive to mean “strive even more.” For example:

be all the more eager (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
try even harder (Good News Translation)

(2) “rather.” In verse 5, Peter had already urged the Christians to whom he was writing to do all that they could do to live in a good way. So some scholars believe that Peter used the word “rather” in order to contrast what he would write next with the preceding verse. He was saying, therefore, that Christians should not forget that God has cleansed us from the spiritual uncleanness that sinning against him caused. Instead, they should eagerly desire to show others that they were God’s people by the way they behave.

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1) like most English versions. See the Meaning Line in the Display for an example.

make your calling and election sure: Here, election means “choice.” The Bible clearly states that it is God who chooses and calls a person to become a Christian (see paragraph 1:3–4). But Peter wrote that Christians must cause their calling by God to be sure and certain. There are two possible ways of understanding this:

(1) From the preceding verses, it seems that Peter meant that, by behaving in a way that is full of character traits that are spiritually and morally excellent, we will prove to ourselves and to others that God has called us to be his people.

(2) However, some people think that Peter meant that his readers needed to do all these things in order to ensure that their calling and election would not lapse, but would be permanent.

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1) as it fits the context best.

1:10b

stumble: The Greek word that Peter used here literally means “to stumble” or “to trip.” Here it is used as a figure of speech and can mean one of two things:

(1) “to fall away from your faith,” that is, “to turn away from God.” Many versions follow this by saying “fall away” (Good News Translation, The Jerusalem Bible).

(2) “to commit serious sin.” Obviously all Christians sin, but here some scholars believe that Peter was saying that if a believer did all the things he had just been talking about, he would not sin in a really serious way.

The first interpretation (1) is recommended. If you are following this interpretation, try to find an idiomatic expression in your language that means this same thing. Here is an example: “you will at no time leave God’s road.” If you decide to use the word “stumble,” it may be necessary to add something that will tell the people who read your translation that this word refers to turning away from God.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:22

2:22

Peter ended his criticism of the false teachers by saying that what they had done was the same sort of stupid behavior as that of the dog and the pig in two proverbs which would have been well-known to the readers of Peter’s letter. It will be necessary for you to study the form of proverbs in your language, and then to translate these proverbs in the same style so that they sound like proverbs.

Paragraph 3:1–2

Peter said that he was writing this letter to remind them of what the prophets and the Lord Jesus, speaking through his apostles, had said.

3:1a

Beloved: You should try to find a term that you would use in your language to express affection for someone.

second letter: The first letter may have been the one we know as 1 Peter. But Peter probably wrote several letters while he was one of the church leaders, so we cannot be certain about this.

3:1b

reminders: Peter said here, as he had said in 1:12, that he wanted to remind the Christians to whom he was writing of what Christian teachers had taught them, so that they would not forget it.

to stir you to wholesome thinking: The Greek text says: “to rouse of-you…the pure mind.” There are two ways of understanding this part of the verse:

(1) He wanted to stimulate them to think pure and correct thoughts, rather than allowing the false teachers to contaminate their thoughts.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)

(2) The expression “the pure mind” means that their minds were already pure/sincere. “Rouse” means that Peter was wanting to strengthen their pure minds by reminding them of what the prophets and the Lord had said.

(King James Version, Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

The difference between the two interpretations is slight. It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation, as Berean Standard Bible has done.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:21

1:21a

no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man: No prophecy originated from what the prophet himself wanted to say or from what other people wanted him to say.

1:21b

but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit: Instead of merely saying what they wanted to say, the OT prophets said what the Spirit of God moved or drove them to say. Luke used the same word in Acts 27:15 and Acts 27:17 to describe a ship that the wind was driving in a way that the people on the ship could not control. The prophets spoke and wrote “under the control of the Holy Spirit” (Good News Translation).

Paragraph 2:1–3

Peter warned that false teachers would come and deceive many people, but he also said that God would punish these false teachers in the end.

2:1

In the history of the Jewish people there had been many false prophets. Peter warned that, in the same way, false teachers would come among the Christians.

2:1a

Now: At the end of chapter 1 Peter had been talking about true prophets. He used the word Now here to contrast these true prophets with the false prophets who had come among God’s people in the past. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version do not retain this link. Another way to show the link would be as follows:

But, in the past, even though there were true prophets, there were also men among God’s people who said that they were prophets, but they taught lies, not the truth.

false prophets: These are people who say that their messages come directly from God, but they are lying.

the people: Jews used the phrase “the people” to refer to themselves, God’s chosen people, the Jewish people. Here, Peter was referring to the Jewish people, the people of Israel, in the time of the OT.

2:1b-c

false teachers This refers to those who were teaching the “destructive heresies”.

secretly introduce: These words translate a single Greek verb that means “bring in,” and which sometimes means even more: “bring in secretly so that other people will not notice what is happening.” Many scholars believe that it has this extra meaning here. So Berean Standard Bible translates it secretly introduce, see also The Jerusalem Bible: “insinuate” and Revised Standard Version “secretly bring in.” But Good News Translation and New English Bible do not include this extra meaning.

destructive heresies: Heresy is a doctrine or teaching about God which is untrue. Such teachings lead people to live wickedly. When people live wickedly, God judges them. This is how heresies destroy them.

2:1d

denying the Master: The Greek word here that Berean Standard Bible translates denying means “to deny, disown someone.” Here it probably means that although these people said that they followed Christ, they showed by what they did and by what they taught other people, that they did not really follow his teachings. It could also mean that they were “denying” Christ by saying untrue things about him like “he didn’t die for our sins.”

Master: This translates the Greek word that usually in the NT refers to God, but here clearly Peter was using it about Christ. This is the word that people used to refer to a person who owned slaves. This word fits well here because of the next words which speak about Christ buying people.

who bought them: When Peter said Jesus “bought” people, he is using a metaphor. When Jesus died on the cross, the blood he shed was like the money someone gives the owner of a slave so that the slave can be free from his old master and can have a new master.

2:1e

bringing swift destruction on themselves: Peter said that the way the false teachers were behaving would cause God to destroy them.

swift: The Greek word which Berean Standard Bible translates swift can mean “sudden” or “imminent, soon.” It is the same word that Peter used in 1:14 when he said that he would die soon, and that is probably the meaning here. He is not saying that God would suddenly destroy the false teachers, but that he would do it soon.

destruction: The Greek word apōleia, “destruction,” is the same word as Berean Standard Bible translated “destructive” in 2:1c. It means “destruction, loss, ruin.” Here Peter was probably not referring to physical destruction, but spiritual ruin, or he may have meant that their influence over people would be destroyed.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 3:12

3:12a

anticipate: The literal meaning of the Greek is “waiting, expecting.”

hasten: The Greek word that Berean Standard Bible translates as hasten could mean:

(1) “hastening.” Most versions follow this interpretation. For example:

Do your best to make it come soon (Good News Translation)
-or-
Work to hasten it on (New English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, New English Bible)

Christians can hasten the day when Christ will return by prayer and repentance. This is the most usual meaning of the verb.

(2) Or it could mean “be eager, desire earnestly.” In this case it emphasizes the verb “look forward to,” and both verbs together mean “eagerly looking forward to.” There is only one grammatical object in the sentence (“the coming of the day of God”). This supports the interpretation that the second verb is emphasizing the first. For example:

while you wait and long for the Day of God (The Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).

the coming of the day of God: This refers to the same day as “the Day of the Lord” in verse 10. It is the day on which God has decided that Christ will return. You could translate it in this way:

as you look forward to Christ returning on the day that God has decided.

3:12b–c

The description of the end of the world in verse 12 is very similar to verse 10, so see notes on 3:10.

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SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:12

2:12

There are a couple of places in this verse where scholars understand the Greek in different ways. These Notes follow one widely accepted interpretation. Peter compared the false teachers to wild animals who behave according to their instinct. They act without thinking, according to what they want to do. God will destroy these false teachers in the same way that men catch and kill wild animals.

2:12a

like irrational animals, creatures of instinct: This is probably a pair of words that Peter used together in this sentence in order to emphasize how much like animals these false teachers were. The false teachers did only what the desires of their bodies drove them to do, like animals who do not think about what they do.

blaspheme: In English this word means “to say bad things about holy things or people.” But the Greek word it translates here can also mean “to say bad things about ordinary people or things.” Some scholars think Peter was talking about saying bad things about “glorious beings” (see 2:10c). But others think he meant saying bad things about church or government leaders.

2:12b

like such creatures, they too will be destroyed: Literally, “in their destruction they will be destroyed.” Scholars have interpreted this in many different ways, so it is difficult to be sure what Peter intended to say. Versions translate differently according to the interpretation they follow. For example:

(1) Since the false teachers behave like wild animals, God will destroy them in the same way as people destroy wild animals. Peter used the same Greek word here for “destroy” as he used in 2:12a when talking about the animals being born “only to be caught and destroyed.” For exapmle:

They will be destroyed like wild animals (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, New International Version (2011 Revision), New English Bible, and Revised Standard Version follow this interpretation.)

(2) The wicked behavior of the false teachers will cause their own destruction. For example:

They will certainly destroy themselves by their own work of destruction (The Jerusalem Bible)

(The Jerusalem Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English also follows this interpretation.)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).

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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2000

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:20

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 3:11

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:11

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:10

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:22

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 1:21

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 3:12

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Peter 2:12

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