2 Peter 1:21 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.

2 Peter 1:21 nkjv

for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:21 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.

2 Peter 1:21 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.

2 Peter 1:21 nlt

or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

2 Peter 1 verses

2 Peter 1 21 Meaning

2 Peter 1:21 declares that prophecy does not originate from human desire or decision, but rather, prophets, though human, delivered God's message as they were divinely guided and propelled by the Holy Spirit. This verse asserts the divine authorship and authority of scripture.

2 Peter 1 21 Context

This verse is the culminating statement in Peter's discourse (2 Peter 1:19-21) on the certainty and divine origin of prophetic scripture. Following his eye-witness account of the Transfiguration (2 Pet 1:16-18), which confirmed the apostolic message, Peter elevates the prophetic word (scripture) as even "more certain." He then explicitly warns against human-driven interpretations of prophecy in 2 Peter 1:20 before defining true prophecy's source in verse 21.

Historically, Peter's letter likely addresses burgeoning challenges within the early Christian communities, possibly concerning the denial of Christ's return or the infiltration of false teachers spreading Gnostic ideas and promoting immorality. By establishing the absolute divine origin and authority of scripture, Peter provides a firm foundation against those who would twist its meaning or deny its truths based on human reasoning or false inspiration. It serves as a strong polemic against any notion that revelation could be a product of human ingenuity, fantasy, or manipulation.

2 Peter 1 21 Word analysis

• For (Greek: Gar): A causal conjunction connecting this verse directly to the preceding affirmation of the sure prophetic word (2 Pet 1:19-20). It explains why the prophetic word is so sure and not subject to private interpretation.

• prophecy (Greek: Prophēteia): In this context, it refers to the inspired divine revelation preserved in the Sacred Scriptures, particularly those of the Old Testament which predict future events or declare God's will. It encompasses both foretelling and forth-telling God's message.

• never had its origin (Greek: Oude potte ēnechthē): Literally "never at any time was brought," or "never was borne/carried." The emphatic double negative (oude potte) strongly rejects human initiative as the source. It asserts a complete absence of human-driven origination.

• in the human will (Greek: Thelemon anthrōpou): "Will of man/humanity." This signifies that the source of prophecy is not human desire, purpose, intellect, intention, or personal inclination. It counteracts any idea that prophets spontaneously devised their messages or invented prophecies from their own minds.

• but prophets, though human, (Greek: all' hyp' anthrōpōn theou): More accurately, "but men of God." This emphasizes that while human beings were the conduits, they were men belonging to God, chosen and set apart by Him. Their humanity was not a source of the message, but a channel for it. It distinguishes them from ordinary individuals merely expressing their thoughts.

• spoke from God (Greek: elalēsan apo theou): "They spoke from God" or "on behalf of God." This explicitly states the divine origin of the words. God is the ultimate author; the prophets were His spokespersons. The preposition apo signifies separation, implying the message comes from God to the speaker.

• as they were carried along (Greek: pheromenoi): A present passive participle from the verb pherō, meaning "to carry," "bear," or "to be moved/impelled." The passive voice is crucial here, indicating that the prophets were the recipients of an external, divine impulse, not the originators. It's often likened to a ship being carried along by the wind or currents, suggesting movement without self-propulsion. The prophets retained their consciousness and individuality, but they were directed and impelled by God to utter His message without error.

• by the Holy Spirit (Greek: Hypo Pneumatos Hagiou): Identifies the direct divine agent behind this process. The Holy Spirit is the active force that inspired, moved, and guided the prophets, ensuring that the message delivered was God's exact word, free from human error or embellishment.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For prophecy never had its origin in the human will": This foundational statement negates any idea of human fabrication, human insight, or personal genius as the source of biblical prophecy. It fundamentally differentiates true revelation from human wisdom or philosophical thought.
  • "but prophets, though human, spoke from God": This clarifies the instrumentality of the prophet. They were real people with unique personalities, yet their utterances in this inspired capacity were not their own words but God's. This asserts the dual authorship, where God is the ultimate author and humans are His chosen, accurate instruments.
  • "as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit": This describes the supernatural mechanism of inspiration. The Holy Spirit "bore along" or "impelled" the prophets. It conveys not dictation, which implies the complete removal of the prophet's personality, but a divine superintendence and impulse that guided their minds, enabling them to communicate God's truth accurately, using their own vocabulary and style, yet perfectly conveying the divine message.

2 Peter 1 21 Bonus section

This verse, along with 2 Timothy 3:16, forms a fundamental basis for the doctrine of biblical inspiration, asserting not just a general guidance but a precise, God-ordained process by which prophets communicated divine revelation. It highlights that the human authors of Scripture were not mere passive scribes; their individual personalities, vocabularies, and historical contexts were employed by the Holy Spirit, yet without compromising the divine accuracy and intent of the message. The phrase "carried along" (pheromenoi) speaks against mechanical dictation, while simultaneously safeguarding the full authority and veracity of the divine word over human fallibility. It underscores that understanding prophecy requires acknowledging its supernatural source, rather than approaching it through human interpretive speculation (as addressed in the preceding verse, 2 Peter 1:20).

2 Peter 1 21 Commentary

2 Peter 1:21 is a cornerstone for understanding the divine nature of the Bible's prophetic message. It posits a clear distinction: divine inspiration, not human initiative, is the source. The verse asserts that prophets did not simply "feel" an urge or spontaneously create spiritual messages from within their own thoughts or desires. Instead, they were chosen instruments of God. The Holy Spirit acted upon them, guiding and superintending their minds and utterances in such a way that the resulting spoken or written word was truly the word of God, unadulterated by human error.

This process is often described by the word "theopneustos" (God-breathed) from 2 Timothy 3:16. Peter’s description, "carried along by the Holy Spirit," beautifully illustrates this divine impelling. It ensures that the prophecies contained in Scripture are utterly reliable and authoritative, making them a "more sure word" (2 Pet 1:19) than even firsthand experience, because their origin is divine. This has profound implications for the authority of all Scripture, affirming its inerrancy and infallibility as the communication of God's perfect truth to humanity. The verse thus defends against any notion of arbitrary human opinion, solidifying the foundation upon which Christian faith is built.