lectionary.com

Lent · Ash Wednesday

2 Peter 1:2-11

Making One’s Calling and Election Sure

February 18, 2026

The Penitent Saint Peter, Guido Reni
The Penitent Saint Peter, Guido Reni, c. 1600Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Reni's Peter looks up with his hands clasped and his eyes wet, the keys set down beside him, in the upward-gazing manner Reni made his own.You must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge: the letter is written in the name of a man who had to start over.Guido ReniA Bolognese painter of refined, upward-gazing figures, enormously admired in his own century and out of fashion for most of the next two.Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaThe Habsburg collection, assembled over four centuries and housed in a purpose-built palace on the Ringstrasse since 1891.Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Historic One-Year Lectionary
GospelMatt. 6:(1-6) 16-21Mt 6:(1-6) 16-21
Epistle2 Pet. 1:2-112 Pt 1:2-11
Old TestamentJoel 2:12-19Jl 2:12-19Alt. OTJonah 3:1-10Jon 3:1-10
PsalterPs. 51:1-13 (14-19)Ps 51:1-13 (14-19)

Overview & Insights

“Be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election.” (2 Peter 1:10)

The opening of 2 Peter is along the conventional lines of a NT letter, giving sender, addressees, greeting (see commentary on Jude 1 and Additional Notes on Jude 1–2). The sender identifies himself as Simon Peter . Most Greek MSS of 2 Peter transliterate the sender’s first name as Symeōn , the Hebrew form applied to Simon Peter elsewhere in the NT only in Acts 15:14, in the appropriate Jewish-Christian setting of the Council of Jerusalem.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: 2 Peter 1:2-11

Commentary

2 Peter 1 - Enduring Word Bible Commentary2 Pt 1 - Enduring Word Bible Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik on God's divine power for godliness and the qualities that make one's calling sure.

2 Peter 1 Resources2 Pt 1 Resources Precept Austin

Verse-level notes and word studies on partaking of the divine nature and adding to faith.

2 Peter 1:2 Commentaries2 Pt 1:2 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentators gathered on grace and peace multiplied through knowledge of God.

Background & Word Study

Book of 2 Peter OverviewBook of 2 Pt Overview BibleProject

Animated overview of 2 Peter's call to spiritual maturity and its warning against false teachers.

Holiness (theme) BibleProject

A theme study fitting 2 Peter's summons to participate in the divine nature and grow in godliness.

2 Peter 1:2 Interlinear2 Pt 1:2 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek text with parsing for the chain of virtues from faith to love.

The Church Fathers

2 Peter 1 commentary from the Church Fathers2 Pt 1 commentary from the Church Fathers Catena

Patristic voices on the divine power granted for life and godliness.

Questions preachers ask

What does 2 Peter urge?

Having received precious promises, believers are to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, and love, making their calling and election sure.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Matthew 6:(1-6) 16-21
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.