2 Peter 1:7
“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The growth reaches its summit in affection for fellow believers and, above all, in love.
What Does 2 Peter 1:7 Mean?
Peter completes his list with two relational qualities. To godliness he adds "brotherly kindness" — the warm affection of family among believers. And to that he adds "charity," love, the crown of the whole chain. The Greek word here is agape, the self-giving love that seeks another's good.
The ascent that began with faith ends in love, the greatest of all. Godliness toward God overflows into tenderness toward fellow believers, and that tenderness widens into a love that holds nothing back. This ordering is deliberate: true reverence for God always shows itself in how we treat people. Love is not one virtue among many but the goal toward which all the others lead. A faith that climbs through self-control, endurance, and godliness yet never arrives at love has missed its destination. Christ Himself is the pattern — His whole life poured out in love.
In the Original Language
agape (ἀγάπη), 'charity' — self-giving love that seeks the good of others, the summit of Peter's list.