to bear in alongside · verb — aorist active participle, nominative plural masculine
this
τοῦτοtoûto
G5124
that thing
giving
παρεισφέρωpareisphérō
G3923
to bear in alongside
all
πᾶσανpasan
G3956
all · adjective — accusative singular feminine
diligence
σπουδὴνspoudēn
G4710
"speed" · noun — accusative singular feminine
add
ἐπιχορηγήσατεepichorēgēsate
G2023
to furnish besides · verb — aorist active imperative, 2nd person plural
to
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
your
ὑμῶνhymōn
G5216
of (from or concerning) you
faith
πίστειpistei
G4102
persuasion · noun — dative singular feminine
virtue
ἀρετήν,aretēn
G703
properly · noun — accusative singular feminine
and
δὲde
G1161
but · conjunction
to
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
virtue
ἀρετῇaretēa
G703
properly · noun — dative singular feminine
knowledge
γνῶσιν,gnōsin
G1108
knowing (the act) · noun — accusative singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoe…
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
2 Peter 1:2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2 Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 1:5-11
In these words the apostle comes to the chief thing intended in this epistle - to excite and engage them to advance in grace and holiness, they having already obtained precious faith, and been made partakers of the divine nature. This is a very good beginning, but it is not to be rested in, as if we were already perfect. The apostle had prayed that grace and peace might be multiplied to them, and now he exhorts them to press forward for the obtaining of more grace. We should, as we have opportunity, exhort those we pray for, and excite them to the use of all proper means to obtain what we desire God to bestow upon them; and those who will make any progress in religion must be very diligent a…
And beside this--rather, "And for this very reason," namely, "seeing that His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (Pe2 1:3).
giving--literally, "introducing," side by side with God's gift, on your part "diligence." Compare an instance, Pe2 1:10; Pe2 3:14; Co2 7:11.
all--all possible.
add--literally, "minister additionally," or, abundantly (compare Greek, Co2 9:10); said properly of the one who supplied all the equipments of a chorus. So accordingly, "there will be ministered abundantly unto you an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Saviour" (Pe2 1:11).
to--Greek, "in"; "in the possession of your faith, minister virtue. Their faith…
And beside this - Notwithstanding what God hath done for you, in order that ye may not receive the grace of God in vain;
Giving all diligence - Furnishing all earnestness and activity: the original is very emphatic.
Add to your faith - Επιχορηγησατε· Lead up hand in hand; alluding, as most think, to the chorus in the Grecian dance, who danced with joined hands. See the note on this word, Co2 9:10 (note).
Your faith - That faith in Jesus by which ye have been led to embrace the whole Gospel, and by which ye have the evidence of things unseen.
Virtue - Αρετην· Courage or fortitude, to enable you to profess the faith before men, in these times of persecution.
Knowledge - True wisdom, by which y…
The Church Fathers
And in virtue, knowledge. According to that of Isaiah: "Learn to do well, seek judgment."
But you, giving all diligence, supply virtue in your faith. Virtue in this place is placed not for strength and miracles, but for good conduct; which is rightly to be joined to faith, lest it be idle and dead without works: in which he rightly commanded that all diligence be added, because he who is soft and negligent in his work is brother to him who destroys his work.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. The step leads to promotion: first indeed faith, which is the foundation and basis or principle of good things. Then in the second step virtue or works, for without this faith is dead, as James (2:26) says. After this indeed is knowledge. What is this? The knowledge of the secrets of God's mysteries, which does not happen to everyone, but to one who is exercised in the habit of better works. After this is self-control. For this is also necessary for one who has reached the measure, lest he become wanton due to the greatness of the gift. Since it does not happen that one who uses self-control for a short time can firmly possess the gift (for they always desire afflictions to lead them to what is worse), having entered into tolerance completes the whole matter and appeases godliness, producing a more perfect assurance in God: therefore from godliness, brotherly love is sought, which does not approach unless kindness grants access to all things of godliness. And above all, the fulfillment of all good things is love, as it seems to both Paul (Rom. 13:13) and the Truth. For this has both the Son of God and His Father prevailed: indeed, that He might give Him as a beloved Son, but the Son to pour out His blood for us.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Peter, Second Epistle of — The question of the authenticity of this epistle has been much discussed, but the weight of evidence is wholly in favour of its claim to be the production of the apostle whose name it bears. It…
Diligence · Required by God in: Cultivating Christian graces — Required by God in: Cultivating Christian graces
Fraternity · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
And besides this, giving all diligence,.... "Or upon this", as the Syriac and Arabic versions read, bestow all your labour, diligence, and care; namely, on what follows, and that from the consideration of what goes before; for nothing can more strongly animate, and engage to the diligent exercise of grace and discharge of duty, than a consideration of the high favours, and free grace gifts of God, and the exceeding great and precious promises of his Gospel:
add to your faith virtue; or "with your faith", so the Arabic version renders it, and the like, in the following clauses. They had faith, even like precious faith with the apostles, not of themselves, but by the gift of God, and which is…
2 Peter 1:5-9
5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
5. Atque in hoc ipsum omne studium applicantes, subministrate in fide vestra virtutem, in virtute autem scientiam;
6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
6. In scientia verae temperantiam, in temperantia autem patientiam, in patientia ver? pietatem,
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
7. In pietate autem fraternum amorem, in fraterno ver? amore charitatem.
8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesu…
The stair-step structure of these verses, with each virtue leading to another, is a common literary device called a sorites. The sequence in such passages is not stressed—e.g., Peter does not imply that moral excellence must come before knowledge. Yet love is the pinnacle of the virtues (1:7).
