And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Parallel translations
- WEB and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
- BSB and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
- NKJV to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
- NASB and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
- NLT and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The chain culminates in brotherly affection and finally in love. It matters because the goal of Christian growth is self-giving love, the highest mark of Christlikeness.
Overview
Peter crowns the list of virtues with love, echoing the New Testament's consistent emphasis that love is the greatest evidence of true faith. Brotherly affection focuses on warmth among believers, while love broadens to the selfless, Christlike love that seeks the good of all. The progression shows that godliness is never merely inward but issues in love toward others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Heb 13:1Let brotherly love continue.
- Rom 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
- 1 Th 3:12And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
- Col 3:14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
- John 13:34–35A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
- 1 Jn 4:21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
- Gal 6:10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
- 1 Jn 3:16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- 1 Pet 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
- 1 Cor 13:1–8Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
- 1 Th 4:9–10But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
- 1 Th 5:15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
- 1 Pet 3:8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
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Christ at the center
The sure word of the prophets and the promise of the coming day of the Lord anchor the believer in the knowledge of 'our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'
How 2 Peter 1:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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