2 Peter 1:3
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God's divine power has already supplied everything believers need for life and godliness, given through knowing the One who called them.
What Does 2 Peter 1:3 Mean?
Peter grounds the Christian life in a stunning claim: God's own power has "given" — past tense, already done — all that pertains to life and godliness. The means is again knowledge of Christ, the One who issued the call. That call summons believers to "glory and virtue," the very excellence and splendor that belong to God.
Nothing essential is missing. The resources for a holy, flourishing life are not something we must generate ourselves; they are supplied by divine power and received through knowing Him. This frees the believer from despair and from self-reliance alike. We are not told to manufacture godliness out of nothing, but to draw on what God has already provided. The God who calls also equips, and He calls us toward His own glory.
In the Original Language
areté (ἀρετή), 'virtue' — moral excellence; used here both of God's splendor and of the goodness believers are called toward.