2 Peter 1:21

2 Peter 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Context of 2 Peter 1:21

19Furthermore, we have the reliable prophetic word. You do well by paying attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all understand this: no prophecy of Scripture comes about from a person’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought forth by human will; rather, people spoke from God as they were moved by the Ruach ha-Kodesh.

2 Peter 1:21 word by word

οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη προφητεία ποτέ, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the prophecyπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
• cameφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• notοὐou · noG3756
• in old timeποτέpote · once/whenG4218
• by the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• menὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• spakeλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• byὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for 2 Peter 1:21

• Luke 1:70just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past,
• 2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness,
• 1 Peter 1:11They were trying to find out the time and circumstances the Ruach of Messiah within them was indicating, when predicting the sufferings in store for Messiah and the glories to follow.
• Deuteronomy 33:1This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed Bnei-Yisrael before his death.
• Joshua 14:6Then the children of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word that Adonai had spoken to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea concerning me and you.
• 1 Kings 13:1Unexpectedly, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel with the word of Adonai while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
• 1 Kings 17:18So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, man of God? Have you come to me to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
• 2 Kings 4:7Then she came and told the man of God. So he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt, then you and your sons can live on the rest.”
• 2 Kings 6:10So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God told him and warned him about, and so he was on his guard there—more than once or twice.
• 1 Chronicles 23:14But as for Moses the man of God, his sons are named among the tribe of Levi.
• 2 Chronicles 8:14Following the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the kohanim for their avodah and the Levites for their duties—to praise and minister alongside the kohanim according to the daily assignment—and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate, because this is what David the man of God had commanded.
• Numbers 16:28Moses said, “By this you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart.
• 2 Samuel 23:2“The Ruach Adonai has spoken through me and His word is on my tongue.
• Micah 3:7So the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be abashed. Indeed all of them will cover their lips, for there will be no answer from God.
• 2 Timothy 3:15and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to make you wise, leading to salvation through trusting in Messiah Yeshua.
• Revelation 19:10Then I fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that—for I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of Prophesy.”

Commentaries on 2 Peter 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For the prophecy came not in old time - That is, in any former time, by the will of man - by a man's own searching, conjecture, or calculation; but holy men of God - persons separated from the world, and devoted to God's service, spake, moved by the Holy Ghost. So far were they from inventing these prophetic declarations concerning Christ, or any future event, that they were , carried away, out of themselves and out of the whole region, as it were, of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For the prophecy came not in old time - Margin, or, “at any.” The Greek word ( ̀ pote) will bear either construction. It would be true in either sense, but the reference is particularly to the recorded prophecies in the Old Testament. What was true of them, however, is true of all prophecy, that it is not by the will of man. The word “prophecy” here is without the article, meaning prophecy in general - all that is prophetic in the Old Testament; or, in a…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. 20-21comes from one’s own interpretation: This probably means that the prophets did not have to interpret God’s visions by themselves. God made the meaning clear to them so they could speak his message clearly and reliably.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. came not in old time--rather, "was never at any time borne" (to us). by the will of man--alone. Jr 23:26, "prophets of the deceit of their own heart." Compare 2Pe 3:5, "willingly." holy--One oldest manuscript has, "men FROM God": the emissaries from God. "Holy," if read, will mean because they had the Holy Spirit. moved--Greek, "borne" (along) as by a mighty wind: Ac 2:2, "rushing (the same Greek) wind": rapt out of themselves: still not in fanatical…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Peter 1:21

• Holy Spirit
• Prophecy
• Prophets
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Holy Ghost
• Calling
• Corruption
• Cunningly
• Diligence
• Escape
• Glory
• Prophecy

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