2 Peter 1:10 kjv

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

2 Peter 1:10 nkjv

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

2 Peter 1:10 niv

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,

2 Peter 1:10 esv

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:10 nlt

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.

2 Peter 1 verses

2 Peter 1 10 Meaning

This verse exhorts believers to exert earnest effort and apply themselves diligently to confirm and demonstrate the reality of their divine calling and election through a transformed life. The assurance given is that by consistently cultivating the virtues outlined earlier in the chapter (faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love), they will secure a stable spiritual walk, preventing them from stumbling or falling from the path of faith and fruitfulness.

2 Peter 1 10 Context

2 Peter 1 begins by establishing the immense spiritual privilege granted to believers through their knowledge of Christ—receiving divine power, precious promises, and participation in the divine nature (vv. 1-4). This profound truth lays the foundation for Peter's urgent exhortation. Verses 5-7 then provide a practical pathway: believers are called to actively "make every effort" to add specific virtues to their faith (virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love). Verse 8 promises that if these qualities are present and growing, believers will be fruitful in their knowledge of Christ. Verse 9 issues a stern warning about the spiritual short-sightedness and forgetfulness of cleansing for those who lack these qualities. It is in this flow that verse 10 stands, providing the ultimate reason ("wherefore") for this strenuous spiritual exercise: to secure experiential assurance of one's divine calling and election, thereby ensuring one does not stumble. Historically, Peter's readers, like all early believers, navigated pagan influences and burgeoning false teachings that could undermine the practical outworking of their faith. This exhortation countered potential complacency, a misunderstanding of grace, or Gnostic tendencies that de-emphasized physical actions or moral conduct.

2 Peter 1 10 Word analysis

• Wherefore (διὸ - dio): A connecting conjunction. Means "therefore," or "for this reason." Links directly to the preceding exhortations and spiritual blessings.
• the rather (μᾶλλον - mallon): An intensifying adverb. Means "more," "more strongly," "with greater reason." Stresses urgency and the heightened importance of the command.
• brethren (ἀδελφοί - adelphoi): A vocative plural term of endearment. Signifies shared spiritual kinship among believers, fostering a sense of community and mutual exhortation.
• give diligence (σπουδάσατε - spoudasate): Aorist active imperative. A command meaning "make haste," "be zealous," "exert oneself earnestly," "strive diligently." Requires immediate and intense personal effort.
• to make (ποιεῖσθαι - poieisthai): Present middle infinitive. "To do," "to render," "to cause to be." In the middle voice, it implies performing an action for oneself or causing something to be. Here, it refers to making the calling and election evident or sure in one's own experience and witness, not making it exist.
• your (ὑμῶν - hymōn): Genitive plural pronoun. Possessive, emphasizing that this calling and election is specific to each believer.
• calling (τὴν κλῆσιν - tēn klēsin): Accusative singular, from klēsis. Refers to God's effectual invitation to salvation, drawing an individual to Himself. It underscores God's initiative.
• and (καὶ - kai): Conjunction. Connects two distinct but related divine actions: God's invitation and His selection.
• election (ἐκλογὴν - eklogēn): Accusative singular, from eklogē. Refers to God's sovereign choice or selection of individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world.
• sure (βεβαίαν - bebaian): Accusative singular feminine adjective, from bebaios. Means "firm," "stedfast," "reliable," "certain," "secure." It denotes certainty in the believer's experience and demonstration, not that God's acts of calling and election are in themselves uncertain. It is about the manifestation and assurance of their reality in the believer's life.
• for (γὰρ - gar): Post-positive conjunction. Introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding command: the benefit of acting diligently.
• if ye do these things (ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες - tauta gar poiountes): Conditional phrase using a present active participle (poiountes, "doing") and the pronoun tauta ("these things"). "These things" directly references the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The ongoing nature of "doing" signifies consistent practice and application of the virtues.
• ye shall never fall (οὐ μὴ πέσητε ποτέ - ou mē pesēte pote): Emphatic double negative (οὐ μὴ - ou mē) with aorist subjunctive (pesēte) and adverb (pote).
  • οὐ μή (ou mē): Strongest form of negation in Greek, "certainly never," "by no means."
  • πέσητε (pesēte): Aorist subjunctive of piptō, "to fall," "to stumble," "to lapse," "to come to ruin." Implies a decisive or final stumble from grace or effective service.
  • ποτέ (pote): Adverb, "ever," "at any time." Further emphasizes the absolute nature of the promise.
  • Combined: "You will certainly not stumble at any time," or "you shall never stumble, never fall away definitively." It promises unwavering spiritual stability and fruitfulness for those who diligently cultivate Christian character.

• "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence": This group of words conveys Peter's urgent appeal for intensified, active, and personal effort by the believing community. It emphasizes that a heightened response is demanded in light of divine grace and promises.
• "to make your calling and election sure": This phrase does not imply that God's initial acts of calling or election are themselves mutable or in question. Instead, it speaks to the believer's experiential assurance and the public manifestation of their divine status. Through active obedience, the reality and certainty of one's participation in God's saving plan are demonstrated, to oneself and others.
• "for if ye do these things": This forms the indispensable condition. "These things" points directly back to the specified Christian virtues (2 Pet 1:5-7). It links active, ongoing obedience to the glorious outcome, stressing human responsibility in light of divine provision.
• "ye shall never fall": This powerful and absolute promise assures spiritual steadfastness. It denotes that continuous, diligent application of Christian character development protects believers from a definitive spiritual lapse, moral failure, or a complete falling away that would render them unfruitful or lead to destruction. It guarantees stability and perseverance for those walking in diligence.

2 Peter 1 10 Bonus section

• The phrase "make sure" is often misunderstood as earning or establishing one's salvation. However, it concerns the assurance of salvation, confirming its reality in one's life. It is not about being called and elected, but experiencing and demonstrating that truth.
• The promise "ye shall never fall" underscores God's commitment to preserve His true followers who actively live out their faith. It refers not to an absence of personal sin or weakness, but to security against a complete abandonment of faith or failure to manifest Christian character, ultimately preventing a loss of spiritual effectiveness or eternal destiny.
• This verse effectively addresses the tension between divine sovereignty and human free will. God calls and elects, but individuals are commanded to respond diligently and thereby confirm the genuine reality of that divine work in their lives, fostering spiritual fruitfulness and steadfastness.

2 Peter 1 10 Commentary

2 Peter 1:10 beautifully interweaves divine sovereignty with human responsibility. God's calling and election are immutable truths of His choosing, yet Peter exhorts believers to "make them sure"—not in the sense of making God's acts more certain, but in demonstrating their reality through their transformed lives. This active "diligence" (σπουδάσατε) involves persistently adding the virtues listed previously (faith, knowledge, love, etc.). This continuous growth and moral progress provide a powerful internal assurance and external validation that one is indeed genuinely called and chosen by God. The profound promise "ye shall never fall" is contingent upon this diligent lifestyle. It guarantees stability and perseverance against serious spiritual decline or ultimate apostasy, ensuring a fruitful and effective journey in knowing Christ. It's a reminder that true faith is not passive but alive and dynamic, working itself out in practical obedience.