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

14knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”-- 18and we ourselves heard this declaration made from heaven when 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

• For we did not followἐξακολουθέωexakoloutheō · to followG1811
• cleverlyσοφίζωsophizō · to make wiseG4679
• talesμῦθοςmuthos · mythG3454
• when we madeγνωρίζωgnōrizō · to make knownG1107
• powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• and comingπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
• of our Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• eyewitnessesἐπόπτηςepoptēs · eyewitnessG2030
• of His majestyμεγαλειότηςmegaleiotēs · majestyG3168

Cross-references for 2 Peter 1:16

• 2 Peter 3:3Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
• 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come as someone superior in speaking ability or wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony of God.
• 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like the many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.
• 2 Corinthians 12:16But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I took you in by deceit.
• Ephesians 4:14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders,
• 1 Timothy 1:4nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation rather than advance the plan of God, which is by faith, so I urge you now.
• 1 Timothy 4:7But stay away from worthless stories that are typical of old women. Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
• Matthew 28:18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
• Mark 9:1And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power.”
• John 17:2just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.
• Romans 1:4who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
• 1 Corinthians 5:4In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
• Philippians 3:21who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things 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