For by theseHe has grantedto us His preciousand magnificentpromises,sothat by them you may becomepartakersof [the] divinenature,having escapedthe corruptionthat is in the worldby lust.
whoare Israelites,to whombelongs the adoption as sons,and the gloryand the covenantsand the giving of the Lawand the [temple] serviceand the promises,
For as manyas are the promisesof God,in Him they are yes;thereforealsothroughHim is our Amento the gloryof Godthroughus.
But we all,with unveiledface,beholding as in a mirrorthe gloryof the Lord,are being transformedinto the sameimagefrom gloryto glory,justas from the Lord,the Spirit.
"Therefore,COMEOUT FROM THEIR MIDSTAND BE SEPARATE,"saysthe Lord."AND DO NOT TOUCHWHAT IS UNCLEAN;And I will welcomeyou.
Nowthe promiseswere spokento Abrahamand to his seed.He does not say,"And to seeds,"as [referring] to many,but [rather] to one,"And to your seed,"that is, Christ.
For the one who sowsto his ownfleshwill from the fleshreapcorruption,but the one who sowsto the Spiritwill from the Spiritreapeternallife.
untilwe allattainto the unityof the faith,and of the knowledgeof the Sonof God,to a matureman,to the measureof the staturewhich belongs to the fullnessof Christ.
and have puton the new selfwho is being renewedto a true knowledgeaccordingto the imageof the One who createdhim--
For they disciplinedus for a shorttimeas seemed bestto them, but He [disciplines us] for [our] good,sothat we may shareHis holiness.
For thisreasonHe is the mediatorof a newcovenant,sothat, since a deathhas taken placefor the redemptionof the transgressionsthat were [committed] underthe firstcovenant,thosewho have been calledmay receivethe promiseof the eternalinheritance.
Pureand undefiledreligionin the sightof [our] Godand Fatheris this:to visitorphansand widowsin their distress,[and] to keeponeselfunstainedby the world.
SimonPeter,a bond-servantand apostleof JesusChrist,To thosewho have receiveda faithof the same kindas ours,by the righteousnessof our Godand Savior,JesusChrist:
But accordingto His promisewe are lookingfor newheavensand a newearth,in whichrighteousnessdwells.
The Lordis not slowabout His promise,as somecountslowness,but is patienttowardyou, not wishingfor anyto perishbut for allto cometo repentance.
Thisis the promisewhichHe Himselfmadeto us: eternallife.
Beloved,nowwe are childrenof God,and it has not appearedas yetwhatwe will be. We knowthat whenHe appears,we will be likeHim, becausewe will seeHim justas He is.
