“They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.“
God loves those that love the truth. This is why it is important for us to identify the truth and thus prevent misinformation. In this case, we hy are there two vastly different translations of 2 Peter 1:1.
2 Peter 1:1 is a verse that contradicts the rest of the Bible and which scholars can’t agree upon. However, just a little common sense and research make it obvious which translations are accurate and which translations are not.
There are several problems with the translation of 2 Peter 1:1.
1.) It deviates from all other New Testament books in the opening paragraph. Virtually all other New Testament books begin by acknowledging God and Jesus separately, including the book that came straight from God, the book of Revelation.
2.) The first two verses of 2 Peter 1:1-2 in some Bible translations cause confusion because they contradict each other.
3.) The exact same phrase in another part of the Bible is translated differently than the same verse is translated in 2 Peter 1:1.
New Testament books always open with a recognition of God and Jesus separately. Some versions of 2 Peter 1 follow this pattern:
2 Peter 1:1 “Simon Peter a servant, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them which have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God, and of the Savior Jesus Christ:” (GNV)
Romans 1:7 (KJV) – “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV) – “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 1:2-3 (KJV) – “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;”
Galatians 1:3-4 (KJV) – “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”
Ephesians 1:2-3 (KJV) – “Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
Philippians 1:2 (KJV) – “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Colossians 1:2-3 (KJV) – “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,”
1 Thessalonians 1:1 (KJV) – “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 (KJV) – “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philemon 1:3 (KJV) – “Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In each of the above verses, God is mentioned separately from Jesus as two distinct individuals often with additional descriptors highlighting their respective roles or attributes.
In the same manner, each of the following translations of 2 Peter 1:1 also mentions God and Jesus separately in accordance with all the other New Testament books:
- “Through the righteousness of our God and the Savior Jesus Christ” (CEB)
- “Through the righteousness of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (CSB)
- “Through the righteousness of our God and the [Lord] Jesus Christ” (ESV)
- “Through the righteousness of our God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ” (GNV)
- “Through the righteousness of our God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (NET)
- “Through the righteousness of our God and the Messiah, Yeshua” (TLV)
However, some scholars chose to deviate from this pattern by translating 2 Peter 1:1 as though Jesus and God are the same people:
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (ESV).
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (HCSB).
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (ISV).
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (NET).
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (NRSV).
- The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (YLT).
The first question is: If this verse could have been correctly translated to distinguish between God and Jesus, why would they deviate from translating this verse in harmony with the greetings in every other New Testament book, which always acknowledges both Jesus and God individually, Wouldn’t common sense tell us that this verse should have been translated the same way?
Next, to give further weight to translating 2 Peter 1:1 in accordance with all the other New Testament books (which differentiate between God and Jesus in their openings) we read the next verse, 2 Peter 1:2, in which virtually all translations distinguish between Jesus and God:
New International Version
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
New Living Translation
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
English Standard Version
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Berean Standard Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Berean Literal Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
King James Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
New King James Version
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
New American Standard Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
NASB 1995
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
NASB 1977
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
Legacy Standard Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
Amplified Bible
Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Christian Standard Bible
May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
May grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
American Standard Version
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Grace and peace be multiplied to you by the teaching of our Lord Yeshua The Messiah,
Contemporary English Version
I pray that God will be kind to you and will let you live in perfect peace! May you keep learning more and more about God and our Lord Jesus.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Grace to you and peace be accomplished in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord:
English Revised Version
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
GOD’S WORD® Translation
May good will and peace fill your lives through your knowledge about Jesus, our God and Lord!
Good News Translation
May grace and peace be yours in full measure through your knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
International Standard Version
May grace and peace be yours in abundance through full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Literal Standard Version
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the acknowledgment of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Majority Standard Bible
Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
New American Bible
may grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
NET Bible
May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
New Revised Standard Version
May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
New Heart English Bible
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
Webster’s Bible Translation
Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Weymouth New Testament
May more and more grace and peace be granted to you in a full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
World English Bible
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
Young’s Literal Translation
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the acknowledgment of God and of Jesus our Lord!
If God and Jesus are two distinct people in the second verse, and it would have been correct to translate them as two distinct beings in the first verse, why would some choose to deviate so drastically from the rest of the New Testament and translate the first verse as though it was speaking solely of Jesus? This has never happened anywhere else in the New Testament; every opening greeting in each New Testament book distinguishes between God and Jesus, and Jesus is always acknowledged AFTER God.
This is significant as the Trinitarian view asserts that 2 Peter 1:1 is the only place in the Bible where Jesus is called “our God.”
Consequently, the translation of this verse appears highly improbable even when examined superficially.
How can “God” and “Lord” be identical titles for the same person in verse 1 (Jesus) but then be used as different titles for separate individuals in the next verse?
The evidence below leaves no doubt that bad translation is the answer.
Peter always said, “Lord and Savior” not “God and Savior”
Along with our contention that the first verse should have been translated in like manner of all the other New Testament openings, as some translations correctly do, Peter never called Jesus ‘God and Savior’ anywhere else. He always called Jesus ‘Lord and Savior’:
1:11 – “and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
2:20 – “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
3:2 – “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”
3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
In addition to translating contrary to the rest of the New Testament, this poorly translated and problematic verse is the only place in the entire New Testament where Jesus is referred to as “our God”.
This is a problem because this verse could (and should) have been correctly translated to distinguish between God and Jesus but instead, the translators chose a translation that is contrary to the rest of the Bible, and also contrary to the second verse, and contrary to the rest of the book of 2 Peter in which Peter never calls Jesus ‘our God and Savior’, instead he calls him ‘Lord and Savior’.
To boil it down, the same verse that goes against the grain in several other ways is also the only verse that calls Jesus “our God”.
The Same Exact Words in 2 Peter 1:1 Are Translated Differently in 2 Thessalonians
Another huge red flag with the alternate translation of 2 Peter 1:1, is that both 2 Thessalonians 1:12 and 2 Peter 1:1 contain the same Greek words but are translated differently. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 and 2 Peter 1:1 are both translated from the Greek words “tou theou hēmōn kai kuriou Iēsou Christou” (τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ). The sentence structure in 2 Thessalonians 1:12 is identical to that of 2 Peter 1:1, both using the same Greek construction “of the God of us and [of] Jesus Christ.”
However, despite this similarity, most Trinitarian translation scholars do not interpret Jesus as being identified as “God” in 2 Thessalonians 1:12. This can be seen in various translations which distinguish between God and Jesus, such as the KJV, ASV, NASB, RSV, Douay-Rheims, BBE, ESV, NIV, NAB, and NET Bible. Given that 1 Thessalonians 1:12 also uses the same sentence structure and it is clear to scholars that two distinct persons are being mentioned, it once again raises questions about interpreting 2 Peter 1:1 as identifying Jesus as “God” if the choice was based solely on the grammar. If the grammar in 2 Peter 1:1 is identical to that of 1 Thessalonians 1:12, where virtually all scholars agree that two distinct persons are mentioned, how can one argue that Jesus is being identified as “God” in 2 Peter 1:1?
Codex Sinaiticus
Lastly, Codex Sinaiticus is a significant document that was produced between 325 and 360 A.D. and is widely considered to be one of the oldest surviving manuscripts of the Bible. Codex Sinaiticus uses the phrase “righteousness of the Lord of us and Savior Jesus Christ” rather than “righteousness of the God of us and Savior Jesus Christ” in 2 Peter 1:1.
Συμεὼν Πέτρος δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
“Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The Greek word used in Codex Sinaiticus for “Lord” is “ΚΥΡΙΟΥ” (KYRIOU), which is a form of “κύριος” (kyrios), meaning “lord” or “master.”
Not only is this manuscript the oldest manuscript containing this verse, but the Codex Sinaiticus also agrees with the internal evidence of 2 Peter which calls Jesus “Lord and Savior” repeatedly.
In Conclusion
2 Peter 1:1 should have been translated as it is in many versions and as it was in the Codex Sinaticus:
“Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
- Scholars disagree on how 2 Peter 1:1 should be translated with many translations referring to God and Jesus separately, while others refer to Jesus as “our God”.
- 2 Peter 1:1 should agree with 2 Peter 1:2.
- Peter never called Jesus ‘God and Savior’ anywhere else but he repeatedly called him “Lord and Savior” within 2 Peter, which agrees with the text from the oldest manuscript: Codex Sinaiticus.
- The exact same words used in 2 Peter were also used in 2 Thessalonians and they were translated to distinguish between God and Jesus. This alone speaks volumes.
- All things being equal, 2 Peter 1:1 should have been translated to agree with the rest of the Bible. Especially so with regard to the letters to the church, which always follow a similar pattern of acknowledging God before Jesus, and distinguishing between them.