2 Peter 1

2 Peter · Chapter 1

2 Peter 1:20

1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,3According 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:4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.8For 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 Jesus Christ.9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.13Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.15Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation.knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Above all, believers must know that no prophecy of Scripture came from the prophet's own interpretation. Verse 21 explains: prophecy never came by human will. Peter is talking about where prophecy came from. 2 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:21

Commonly taken out of context

How it’s often usedQuoted to say that ordinary believers cannot read and understand the Bible for themselves.

In contextThe next verse gives the reason with "For": "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (1:21). Peter is speaking of where prophecy came from, not of who may read it. He has just told his readers that they "do well that ye take heed" to the prophetic word (1:19). 2 Peter 1:192 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:21

SpeakingSimon Peter, "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ," who saw Christ's majesty on the holy mount. 2 Peter overview

To"Them that have obtained like precious faith"; traditionally the same believers as 1 Peter, in Asia Minor. 2 Peter overview

Also involvedThe believers who are to heed the prophetic word (1:19). 2 Peter 1:192 Peter 1:20

Peter gives the reason Scripture's prophecy can be trusted (1:19). The next verse begins "For" and completes the thought. 2 Peter 1:192 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:21

The letter names no place. If the readers are those of 1 Peter, they were in Asia Minor; tradition places Peter in Rome at the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

The eventsThe verse gives no date of its own. Peter writes near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

WrittenTraditional: about AD 64-68, shortly before Peter's death. Scholarly: many hold a follower wrote it in Peter's name, perhaps AD 100-150; others accept that Peter wrote it near the end of his life. 2 Peter overview

HerePeter sets Scripture's divine origin against the false teachers' own ideas (2:1). 2 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:212 Peter overview

In the whole of ScripturePeter explains in the next verse, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (1:21). He uses the same opening, "Knowing this first," in 3:3. 2 Peter 1:212 Peter 3:3

For readersScripture is not a collection of human opinions. Its prophecies came from God. 2 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:21

  • prophecyπροφητεία
    Greek · prophēteia · G4394

    The word means prophecy, a prophetic message. Strong's G4394

  • scriptureγραφή
    Greek · graphē · G1124

    The word means a writing, Scripture. The lexicon lists 2 Timothy 3:16 among its uses. Strong's G1124

  • privateἴδιος
    Greek · idios · G2398

    The word means one's own. Strong's G2398

  • interpretationἐπίλυσις
    Greek · epilusis · G1955

    The word means an explanation, a loosing. The lexicon lists this verse as its only New Testament use. Strong's G1955

Takeaway

No prophecy of Scripture came from the prophet's own interpretation. 2 Peter 1:202 Peter 1:21

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
thisτοῦτοtoutoG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

firstπρῶτονprōtonG4413G
first

πρῶτον (prōton) πρῶτον, πρῶτος, see: πρότερος A. Compar., πρότερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX for רִאשׁוֹן ,לִפָנִים, etc. ;] before, of time, place, rank, etc.; in NT always of Time, before, former: Eph.4:22. Adverbially, πρότερον, before, aforetime, formerly: Jhn.7:50, 2Co.1:15, Heb.4:6; opposite to ἔπειτα, Heb.7:27; τὸ π., Jhn.6:62 9:8, Gal.4:13, 1Ti.1:13; αἱ π. ἡμέραι, Heb.10:32; αἱ π. ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.1:14.† (AS)

knowingγινώσκοντεςginōskontesG1097
to know

γινώσκω (ginōskō) γινώσκω (= γιγν-: see previous word. So also vulgar Attic, in Inscr., see Thumb, MGV, 207), [in LXX chiefly for ידע ;] to be taking in knowledge, come to know, recognize, perceive, understand; in past tenses to know, realize; pass., to become known: with accusative, Mat.22:18, Mrk.5:43, Col.4:8, 1Th.3:5, al. Pass., Mat.10:26, Php.4:5, al.; before ὅτι, Mat.21:45, Jhn.4:1, al.; τί, Mat.6:3; ἀπό, Mrk.15:45; ὅ, Rom.7:15; τ. λεγόμενα, Luk.18:34; τ. θέλημα, Luk.12:47; τ. καρδίας, Luk.16:15; with accusative of person(s), of recognition by God, 1Co.8:3, Gal.4:9; by Christ, neg., Mat.7:23; frequently …

thatὅτιhotiG3754G
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

anyπᾶσαpasaG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

prophecyπροφητείαprophēteiaG4394
prophecy

προφητεία (prophēteia) προφητεία, -ας, ἡ (προψητεύω) [in LXX for נְבוּאָה, חָזוֹן ;] the gift (and its exercise) of interpreting the Divine will and purpose, prophecy, prophesying: of OT prophecy, Mat.13:14, 2Pe.1:20-21; of NT prophecy, Rom.12:6, 1Co.12:10 13:2 14:6 14:22, 1Ti.4:14, Rev.11:6 22:19; pl., 1Co.13:8, 1Th.5:20, 1Ti.1:18; οἱ λόγοι τῆς π., Rev.1:3 22:7, 10 22:18; τ. πνεῦμα τῆς π., Rev.19:10 (Luc., FlJ, LXX, π.; see Deiss., BS, 235 f.; MM, xxii).† (AS)

of ScriptureγραφῆςgraphēsG1124
a writing

γραφή (graphē) γραφή, -ῆς, ἡ (γράφω), [in LXX chiefly for כְּתָב ;] 1. a drawing, painting. 2. (a) writing; (b) that which is written, a writing: πᾶσα γ., 2Ti.3:16; γ. ἅγιαι, Rom.1:2; προφητικαί, Rom.16:26; al αἱ γ. τ. προφητῶν, Mat.26:56; ἡ γ., αἱ γ., the sacred writings, the Scriptures (i.e. the OT; see Milligan, NTD, 205); in pl., when the sacred writings as a whole are meant, e.g. Mat.21:42 26:54, Jhn.5:39, Rom.15:4; in sing., when a particular passage is referred to, as in Luk.4:21, Jhn.19:24, Rom.4:3 9:17 10:11 11:2, Jas.2:23 (Cremer, 165; DCG, ii, 584). (AS)

of its ownἰδίαςidiasG2398
one's own/private

ἴδιος (idios) ἴδιος, -α, -ον (in Attic usually -ος, -ον), [in LXX chiefly for of person(s) suff., also for לָהֶם, etc.; (τὰ ἴ.) בֵּיתוֹ ;] 1. one's own; (a) of that which is private and personal (in cl. opposite to κοινός, δημόσιος; cf. infr. 3); …

interpretationἐπιλύσεωςepiluseōsG1955
explanation

ἐπίλυσις (epilusis) ἐπί-λυσις -εως, ἡ (ἐπιλύω), [in Aq.: Gen.40:8; Sm.: Hos.3:4 * ;] 1. release. 2. solution, interpretation: 2Pe.1:20.† (AS)

notοὐouG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

is.γίνεται.ginetaiG1096
to be

γίνομαι (ginomai) γίνομαι, Ion. and κοινή for Att. γίγν- (M. Pr., 47; Bl., §6, 8 Mayser, 166 f.), [in LXX chiefly for היה ;] 1. of persons, things occurrences, to come into being, be born, arise, come on: Jhn.1:15 8:58, 1Co.15:37; a first appearance in public, Mrk.1:4, Jhn.1:6, al.; before ἐκ (of birth), Rom.1:3, Gal.4:4; διά, Jhn.1:3; βροντή, Jhn.12:29; σεισμός, Rev.6:12; γογγυσμός, Act.6:1; χαρά, Act.8:8, many other similar exx.; ἡμέρα, Luk.22:66, al.; ὀψέ, Mrk.11:19; πρωΐα, Mat.27:1; νύξ, Act.27:27. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.