2 Peter 1:16

2 Peter 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For 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.
• New International Version (NIV)For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Context of 2 Peter 1:16

14since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me. 15And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure. For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!” 18We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.

2 Peter 1:16 word by word

οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντες ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• we haveἐξακολουθέωexakoloutheō · to followG1811
• notοὐou · noG3756
• cunningly devisedσοφίζωsophizō · to make wiseG4679
• fablesμῦθοςmuthos · mythG3454
• when we made knownγνωρίζωgnōrizō · to make knownG1107
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• the powerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• comingπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
• ofκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• wereγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• eyewitnessesἐπόπτηςepoptēs · eyewitnessG2030
• ofμεγαλειότηςmegaleiotēs · majestyG3168
• hisἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565

Cross-references for 2 Peter 1:16

• 2 Peter 3:3Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires,
• 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom.
• 2 Corinthians 2:17For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.
• 2 Corinthians 12:16Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!
• Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie,
• 1 Timothy 1:4or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.
• 1 Timothy 4:7But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness.
• Matthew 28:18Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
• Mark 9:1Then he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”
• John 17:2since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.
• Romans 1:4and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.
• 1 Corinthians 5:4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
• Philippians 3:21He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

Commentaries on 2 Peter 1:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Cunningly devised fables - . I think, with Macknight and others, from the apostle's using , eye witnesses, or rather beholders, in the end of the verse, it is probable that he means those cunningly devised fables among the heathens, concerning the appearance of their gods on earth in human form. And to gain the greater credit to these fables, the priests and statesmen instituted what they called the mysteries of the gods, in which the fabulous appearance…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables - That is, fictions or stories invented by artful men, and resting on no solid foundation. The doctrines which they held about the coming of the Saviour were not, like many of the opinions of the Greeks, defended by weak and sophistical reasoning, but were based on solid evidence - evidence furnished by the personal observation of competent witnesses. It is true of the gospel, in general, that it is not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 The gospel is no weak thing, but comes in power, Ro 1:16. The law sets before us our wretched state by sin, but there it leaves us. It discovers our disease, but does not make known the cure. It is the sight of Jesus crucified, in the gospel, that heals the soul. Try to dissuade the covetous worlding from his greediness, one ounce of gold weighs down all reasons. Offer to stay a furious man from anger by arguments, he has not patience to hear…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18cleverly devised fables: The false teachers were probably claiming that the message about Christ’s return was only a helpful story and not a true event. we were eyewitnesses of His majesty: This refers to the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36). The transfiguration was a moment when the appearance of Jesus changed in a bright and glorious way. At that moment, Jesus was revealed as the glorious King, which pointed to his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. For--reason why he is so earnest that the remembrance of these things should be continued after his death. followed--out in detail. cunningly devised--Greek, "devised by (man's) wisdom"; as distinguished from what the Holy Ghost teaches (compare 1Co 3:13). But compare also 2Pe 2:3, "feigned words." fables--as the heathen mythologies, and the subsequent Gnostic "fables and genealogies," of which the germs already existed in the junction of Judaism with…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Peter 1:16

• Apostles
• Fable
• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Peter
• Power
• Testimony

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Jesus Christ
• Calling
• Corruption
• Cunningly
• Diligence
• Escape

Commentaries on 2 Peter 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings