2 Peter 1:15 Meaning and Explanation
“Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Peter faces death without turning his attention inward. His concern is that the believers entrusted to his care will retain the truths that lead them in faith and godliness. This verse reveals a ministry shaped by responsibility, hope, and careful preparation for those who remain.
Knowing that his death is near, Peter works to leave believers able to remember the apostolic teaching after he has departed.
The Context of 2 Peter 1:15
After urging believers to grow in the qualities that make faith fruitful, Peter explains his determination to remind them of these things. Verse 13 calls his body a tabernacle and describes remembrance as a way to stir them up. Verse 14 says that he expects soon to put off this tabernacle, as the Lord Jesus Christ had shown him. Verse 15 continues that thought by looking beyond Peter's decease. Verses 16 through 18 then explain that the message Peter has made known rests on eyewitness testimony to Christ's majesty. The chapter closes by directing attention to the sure prophetic word and to holy men moved by the Holy Ghost.
What Does 2 Peter 1:15 Mean?
"Moreover" carries Peter's purpose beyond his present reminders. He will "endeavour," giving effort and care, so that after his "decease" the readers may have these things always in remembrance. The wording does not specify every practical means by which Peter expects this to happen. It does make his aim plain: his approaching death must not leave the churches without a durable memory of the gospel truth he has taught. "These things" reaches back to the promises of God, the call to diligent growth, the cleansing remembered in verse 9, and the hope of Christ's kingdom. Peter's concern is pastoral and forward-looking, directed toward the believers' continuing faithfulness.
The verse stands between Peter's awareness of death and his testimony about the transfiguration. That placement matters. He is preparing for his own departure while bearing witness to the majesty of the Lord whose coming he has proclaimed. Peter's mortality is acknowledged plainly; his body is a tabernacle that he must put off. The message entrusted to the churches reaches beyond the lifespan of its first messenger because it concerns God's promises and the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter therefore labors so that remembrance will continue among them. His example shows a form of leadership that equips others to remain grounded when a trusted teacher, parent, friend, or elder is no longer present.
Peter's language of decease has a fitting resonance with the gospel accounts of the transfiguration, where Moses and Elias speak with Jesus about his coming departure at Jerusalem. Peter soon recalls that mountain witness in this chapter. Christ's own passage through death stands at the center of the hope proclaimed by the apostles. Peter does not claim to escape death, yet he faces it as one who belongs to the Lord whose glory he has seen and whose kingdom he has announced. The continuing remembrance he seeks serves a people whose confidence rests in Christ, not in Peter's continued earthly presence.
Bible Verses Related to 2 Peter 1:15
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.”
- John 21:18
“Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.”
- 2 Peter 1:14
“Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.”
- Luke 9:31
“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
- 2 Timothy 4:6
Where 2 Peter 1:15 Echoes in Scripture
Luke 9:31 provides a strong echo through its use of "decease" for the work Jesus was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Peter's approaching death in 2 Peter 1:15 is personal and imminent, while Luke places Christ's departure within the saving purpose discussed on the holy mount. The connection is especially apt because Peter immediately refers to that same mountain experience in verses 16 through 18. It keeps Peter's final concern centered on the Lord's work and glory.
How to Apply 2 Peter 1:15 Today
This verse encourages thoughtful preparation for the good we hope will outlast our immediate presence. We can preserve sound teaching by sharing Scripture carefully, recording trustworthy counsel, teaching children and newer believers patiently, and building habits of prayer and service that others can continue. It also invites honest reflection on mortality. Peter does not deny the sorrow of departure, yet he uses the time given him for the strengthening of others. When we remember Christ's promises together, the loss of a valued servant does not erase the truth that servant loved and taught.
Reflection & Prayer
Whom might God be inviting us to strengthen with words or practices that will remain helpful after a season changes? We might pray: "Lord Jesus, teach us to use our days faithfully. Help us leave others more rooted in your promises, more ready to love, and more attentive to your word. Amen."