1. 2 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self- control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1

2. "Supplement … self-control with steadfastness."

3.  If we would be "partakers of the divine nature," we must "supplement … self- control with steadfastness."  But what is "steadfastness"?  According to Vine, the word literally means, "an abiding under."  Thayer says it is "the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings." 3

4. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 4

5. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 5

6. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 6

7. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 7

8. "Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 8

9. "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." 9

10.  If we would be "partakers of the divine nature," we must "supplement…self-control with steadfastness."  But what is "steadfastness"?  According to some the word literally means, "an abiding under."  Thayer says it is "the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings."  Or, as Bill Hall has said, it is "keeping on keeping on!" 10

11.  Virtue, or "moral courage," must precede steadfastness, as it is the proper state of mind regarding potential threats to our faith.  Knowledge, especially of the fact "that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness," must precede steadfastness, because without this information, one would be intellectually unprepared for trials. 11

12. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 12

13.  Virtue, or "moral courage," must precede steadfastness, as it is the proper state of mind regarding potential threats to our faith.  Knowledge, especially of the fact "that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness," must precede steadfastness, because without this information, one would be intellectually unprepared for trials.  Self-control enables us to “abide under” these tests or trials. 13

14. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 14

15. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 15

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