A Contextual Translationi of The Second Letter by St Peter

(draft v1.2)
Dr ohn ! Sutherland S"el#orlie$ Scotland anuary$ 2%1&

This entire 'or" is co(yri)ht Dr ohn ! Sutherland$ 2%1&. The author )ives (er#ission for anyone to use it any for# as lon) as it is attributed correctly and there is no *nancial )ain exce(t for the 'or" of the (ro(a)ation of The +ood !e's of The Lord esus Christ.

Sh,#on Petros$ A servant and evan)elist of -eshua .ashiax. To you 'ho are /ust as valued$ A((ointed to faith$ 0y ri)hteousness$ 1ro# our +od and Shuaii -eshua .ashiax. +race to you$ And (eace #ulti(lied$ 0y "no'led)e of +od and -eshua Adonai. So all of us have Divinity fro# hi#$ 1or life and dedication$ +iven to us )enerously$ As 'e reco)nise he 'ho has called us$ 2nto )lory and virtue. Throu)h this 'e have been )enerously )iven$ The )reatest and #ost valuable (ro#ises3 That throu)h these you #ay beco#e$ Partici(ant in divine nature$ 1leein) fro# the *lthy lusts of the 'orld. Also$ do this4 be dili)ent3 5verythin) you need 'ill be su((lied$ Throu)h your faith into 6irtue$

6irtue into "no'led)e$ 7no'led)e into self8control$ Self8control into stic"ability$ Stic"ability into devotion$ Devotion into brotherly care$ 0rotherly care into dee( love. These you #ust (ossess$ And increase$ !ot bein) la9y$ :r unfruitful$ 1or the sa"e of "no'in) Adonai -eshua .ashiax. There is no8one beside hi# 2s there so#ebody (resent$ ;ho shuts his eyes$ :blivious of ho' he 'as 'ashed of his old 'ron)doin)s< 2nstead$ be devoted$ brothers$ Con*r#ed in your callin) and choice$ 1or if you do these thin)s$ -ou should never tri( u(. 2n this 'ay you 'ill be richly su((lied$ 5nterin) into the everlastin) rule$ :f Adonai and Shua -eshua .oshiax. So$ 2 shall not ne)lect you$ And 2 'ill ever re#ind you of these thin)s$ 5ven thou)h you "no'$ And are *r#ly established$ 2n the truth that is (resent. =o'ever$ it is ri)ht to #e$ ;hile 2 a# still in this ,tent,$ To rouse you$ And to re#ind you. 1or it 'ill be a >uic" thin)$ ;hen 2 lose #y ,tent,$

As Adonai -eshua .ashiax$ =as #ade clear to #e. Still$ 2 'ill ever strive$ ;ith each and every one of you$ That after #y ,exodus,$ These thin)s 'ill still be s(o"en of. 1or it is not s#art stories you follo'. ;e have #ade "no'n to you$ Adonai -eshua .ashiax$ =is (o'er and (resence$ And you are beco#in) 'itnesses of his #a)ni*cence. And he 'ho is fro# the side of father )od$ A voice s(o"e of his honour and )lory$ ;hich ca#e 'ith .a)ni*cent )lory4 ?This is .y Son$ ?=u)ely loved$ ?.y deli)ht is in hi#.? And 'e heard this sound fro# heaven$ ;e 'ho 'ere the ones brou)ht 'ith hi#$ @( the =oly .ountain. And 'e assure you of the (ro(hetic ;ord$ ;hich you #ust (ay attention to$ Li"e li)ht in a s>ualid roo#$ @ntil the da'n brea"s$ And as a li)ht8brin)er in your hearts. 7no' this *rst4 !ot every scri(tural (ro(hesy can ex(lain itself. 1or it 'as never brou)ht forth by a (erson,s 'ill$ 0ut 'as brou)ht forth by holy s(irit$ As (eo(le s(o"e of a holy )od. =o'ever$ there 'ill rise u( false (ro(hets in The Land3 And a#on)st you there 'ill be teachers of lies.

They 'ill s#u))le8in destructive sects$ And they 'ill be on sale to unbelievin) des(ots$ 0rin)in) on the#selves ra(id destruction. And #any 'ill follo' the#$ 2nto sexual debauchery3 And by the# The ;ay of Truth$ ;ill be blas(he#ed3 And throu)h )reedy$ suave 'ords$ They 'ill ex(loit you. 0ut the ancient /ud)e#ent is not idle$ !or is their destroyer )one to slee(. 1or +od,s fallen an)els 'ere not s(ared$ 0ut 'ere cast do'n into the de(ths of Sheol$ 7e(t there until they 'ill be /ud)ed. And$ lon) a)o$ he s(ared none$ 0ut the ei)hth one4 !oax$ A )uard 'ho (roclai#ed ri)hteousness$ That a delu)e 'ould be brou)ht$ @(on a ;orld of careless (eo(le. Also$ the cities of S,do# and +o#orra$ Aeduced to cinders and turned u(side do'n$ Conde#ned as an exa#(le$ 1or careless (eo(le. And the )ood #an$ Lot$ =arassed by (eo(le 'ithout any (rinci(les$ 0ut saved fro# their sexually debauched behaviour. The )ood #an loo"s and sees$ Livin) every day a#on)st the#$ 5very day his soul is tor#ented$ 0y their careless actions. Adonai "no's his faithful$ =e rescues the# fro# the trials by the bad$ -et$ they 'ill be chastened$

:n a /ud)in) day. 0ut$ #ost of all$ Those 'ho turn their Besh to'ards$ Pollutin) desires$ ;ho des(ise leadershi($ Arro)ant$ Self8)lory*n)$ Audacious$ Des(isers$ Arro)ant$ Stubborn$ ;ith no res(ect for authority or (o'er. 5ven an)els$ +reater in stren)th and (o'er$ Don,t brin) accusations a)ainst the#$ 0efore Adonai 'ho /ud)es blas(he#y. They are li"e du#b ani#als$ 0orn in the 'ilderness$ And corru(ted by their i)norant blas(he#in)$ 2n de(ravity and corru(tion. @n/ust 'a)e8earners fro# evil$ Auled by their lusts$ 2n a day of self8indul)ence$ And defective revellers$ 2n their seductive feastin) to)ether$ ;ith you. They have an eye8full of adultery$ And unceasin) evil$ Lurin) hearts of 'ea" souls$ Stri((ed do'n na"ed in their (ossessive )reed$ Children of a curse. They abandon the ri)ht 'ay$ Strayin) off$ And follo'in) the (ath of 0il,a# son of 0,o'r$

;ho love bein) (aid for evil. 0ut his la'lessness 'as ex(osed$ 0y his o'n du#b beast$ S(ea"in) in a hu#an voice$ 1orbiddin) the insane (ro(het. They are dry s(rin)s$ Aainless clouds$ Driven by a stor#$ 1or the# the )loo# of utter dar"ness$ =as been "e(t for eternity. S(ea"in) (o#(ous vanities$ Lurin) by sensual lust$ 5nticin) BirtsC 2 really #ean this4 Aun a'ay fro# the# and their lyin) behaviour. They (ro#ise ,freedo#,$ 0ut they belon) as slaves to corru(tion$ 1or 'hatever overco#es a (erson$ =e is slave to that. 1or if a (erson has Bed$ 1ro# the *lth of the 'orld$ 7no'in) Adonai Shua -eshua .ashiax$ 2f yet a)ain they )et involved$ And are recon>uered$ Their end is 'orse than their be)innin). 2t 'ould have been better$ =ad they never understood the ;ay of Ai)hteousness$ :r even "no'n of it$ Than to turn a'ay$ 1ro# the holy 'ord delivered to the#. So this (roverb has beco#e true in the#4 A do) turns bac" to its o'n vo#it$

And a (i) bathes in *lth. 0ut no'$ dear ones$ 2 'rite this second letter to you$ As a #eans of rousin) you u($ To re#e#ber 'ith a (ure #ind. Ae#e#ber 'hat 'as said in advance$ 0y the holy (ro(hets$ And throu)h the evan)elists$ A co##and to you$ 1ro# Adonai Shua. 7no' this *rst4 There are co#in) in the Last Days$ Phonies and for)ers$ Livin) by their o'n desires$ And they 'ill say$ ?;here is his (ro#ised co#in)< ?1or since the 1athers 'ent to rest$ ?So it continues fro# the be)innin) of creation.? They are 'ilfully deluded$ 1or the s"ies 'ere fro# lon) a)o$ And land ca#e u( fro# 'ater$ throu)h 'ater$ And they stood to)ether$ As +od had said. And then the 'orld 'as destroyed in a Bood$ -et still s"y and The Land are$ 0y a sa#e 'ord. 1ire is stored u( for to#orro'$ 7e(t bac" until a /ud)in) day$ And destruction of careless (eo(le. There is yet one #ore thin)4 Don,t be deluded$ dear friend$ ;ith Adonai$

:ne day is as a thousand years$ And a thousand years is as one day. Adonai is not da'dlin) over his (ro#ise$ ;hat a((ears to be delay$ 2s only his (atience 'ith us$ =is intention is that no8one is to be destroyed$ 1or there is roo# for everyone to chan)e their 'ays. 0ut$ Adonai,s day 'ill arrive$ Li"e a thief at ni)ht$ The heavens 'ill ex(lode$ The ele#ents 'ill burn a'ay in *re$ The Land shall dissolve a'ay$ And everythin) )oin) on 'ill be incinerated. Since then all 'ill be destroyed$ ;hat "ind of (eo(le should you belon) to< Act in holiness and be devoted. =o(in) for$ And hurryin) to'ards$ The Presence of +od. 0ecause there 'ill be a day$ ;hen the s"ies 'ill burn a'ay$ And ele#ents deco#(ose by incineration. 0ut$ there 'ill be a ne' s"y and ne' land$ ust as he (ro#ised$ ;here 'e ho(e ri)hteousness 'ill live. And so$ dear friend$ =o(e for these thin)s$ ;or" hard to stay (ure and Ba'less$ To be found in hi#$ in (eace. And thin" on Adonai,s (atience for salvation$ ust as fro# our dear brother$ Paul$ As he has 'ritten to you$

2n the 'isdo# he received. 1or in every one of his letters$ =e tal"s about these thin)s$ So#e of the thin)s are tou)h to understand$ ;hich the uneducated and stu(id t'ist$ As they do the rest of the scri(tures$ Leadin) to their o'n destruction. So you$ dear ones$ -ou "no'$ so be on )uard$ Don,t let the 'anderers$ Deceive$ .isdirect$ :r cause your o'n roc"8solidness to fail. 2nstead4 )ro' u(C 2nto )race and "no'led)e of Adonai$ And of -eshua Shua .ashiax. To hi#4 +lory$ no' and into eternity. A#en.

i =ere are the basic (rinci(les of the overall !e' Testa#ent translation D the lan)ua)e should be as non8inter(reted as (ossible and "e(t very close to the ori)inal 7oine +ree" structure and 'ords3 no 'ords should be o#itted3 fe' should be added3 the ra'ness of the ori)inal should be retained3 D na#es are 'ritten as s(o"en and heard in the ti#e of throu)h +ree" and into 5n)lish3 esus not as *ltered

D s(ellin)s of (ro(er na#es are in si#(le and acce(ted for#s direct fro# the source lan)ua)e 8 usually =ebre'EAra#aic$ Latin and +ree" 8 at the ti#e of Christ3 ,x, indicates a )utteral ,ch, sound as in Scottish ,lo ch,3 in =ebre' the e#(hasis is u(on the last co#(lete syllable$ e.). 0ait,sA2da$ Avra=A#3 di(thon)s are indicated as such$ all sin)le vo'els are sin)le$ e.). -eshua is (ronounced -esh::a and not -esh-::a3 D ca(itals are used 'here the noun or ad/ective are (receded by ,the, and so is si)ni*cant and (robably divine4 e.). +od$ The !a#e$ The T'elve$ The =oly S(irit$ The Se(arated3 D lo'er case is used 'henever there is no ,the,3 e.). )od$ holy s(irit3 D there is a hi)hly selective slant fro# +ree" to =ebre' idio#s 'here the =ebre' 'ord is #ore in context 'ith the ti#e4 e.). =a.ashiach instead of The Christ$ Adonai instead of Lord3 D the exce(tion is the a((earance of .ashiax ca(italised3 'ith a ,the, (recedin) it beco#es =a.ashiax3

D also (lace na#es are atte#(ted that reBect the usa)e of esus, hearers3 e.). for Syria 2 have said A#on$ Sa#aria beco#es Sho#ron$ erusale# beco#es -erushalayi#$ 2srael beco#es -israel$ 5)y(t beco#es .i9rai#3
D the one exce(tion to the , ca(itals only 'hen (receded by the, rule is 'hen translatin) lord as Adonai$ 'hich is consistently translated (at least in St Lu"e) as Adonai3

D italics in the text indicate a >uote fro# the :ld Testa#ent3

D verse nu#bers are o#itted bein) of no si)ni*cance in context3 cha(ter nu#bers are used (urely for ease of translation in #ana)eable ,lu#(s, and 'ill be o#itted on the *nal translation 'hich 'ill be (rose 'ith headin)s3 any headin)s 'ill be reco)nisable to re)ular 0ible readers in the ;estern tradition3

ii Shua is #y 'or"in) of the =ebre'$ $ for ,saviour,. 2t literally is a cry for hel(4 ?=el(C?. 2t is interestin) to see it a((ear three ti#es as the root in esus Saviour Christ F -eshua shua .ashiax. ;hen +od says so#ethin) in =ebre' three ti#es he is sayin)4 this is the very ulti#ate i#a)inable. This tri(let could be translated as ?2 a# the one 'ho saves$ 2 save$ 2 have co#e to save.?