SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:5
¶ Vosotros tambin, poniendo toda diligencia en esto mismo, mostrad en vuestra fe, virtud; y en la virtud, ciencia;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Peter 1:5
Verse 5. And beside this] Notwithstanding what God hath done for you, in order that ye may not receive the grace of God in vain; Giving all diligence] Furnishing all earnestness and activity: the original is very emphatic. Add to your faith] epicorhghsate? Lead up hand in hand; alluding, as most think, to the chorus in the Grecian dance, who danced with joined hands. See the note on this word, 2 Cor. ix. 10.
Your faith - That faith in Jesus by which ye have been led to embrace the whole Gospel, and by which ye have the evidence of things unseen.
Virtue] arethn? Courage or fortitude, to enable you to profess the faith before men, in these times of persecution.
Knowledge] True wisdom, by which your faith will be increased, and your courage directed, and preserved from degenerating into rashness.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. And besides this, giving all diligence , etc.] Or upon this, as the Syriac and Arabic versions read, bestow all your labour, diligence, and care; namely, on what follows, and that from the consideration of what goes before; for nothing can more strongly animate, and engage to the diligent exercise of grace and discharge of duty, than a consideration of the high favours, and free grace gifts of God, and the exceeding great and precious promises of his Gospel: add to your faith virtue ; or with your faith, so the Arabic version renders it, and the like, in the following clauses. They had faith, even like precious faith with the apostles, not of themselves, but by the gift of God, and which is the first and principal grace; it leads the van, or rather the chorus, as the word rendered add signifies; and though it is in itself imperfect, has many things lacking in it, yet it cannot be added to, or increased by men; ministers may be a means of perfecting what is lacking in it, and of the furtherance and joy of it, but it is the Lord only that can increase it, or add unto it in that sense, and which is not the meaning here: but the sense is, that as it is the basis and foundation of all good works, it should not stand alone, there ought to be virtue, or good works along with it, by which it may be perfected, not essentially, but evidentially, or might appear to be true and genuine; for by virtue may be either meant some particular virtue, as justice towards men, to which both the grace and doctrine of faith direct; and indeed pretensions to faith in Christ, where there is not common justice done to men, are of little account; or, as others think, beneficence to men; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, proceed to bounty by your faith; and faith does work by love and kindness to fellow creatures and Christians; but this seems rather designed by brotherly kindness and charity, in ( 2 Peter 1:7) or boldness, courage, constancy, and fortitude, which ought to go along with faith. Where there is true faith in Christ, there should be a holy boldness to profess it, and constancy in it, and courage to fight the good fight of faith, and firmness of mind to stand fast in it, notwithstanding all difficulties and discouragements; or virtue in general here meant, not mere moral, but Christian virtues, which are the fruits of the Spirit of God, and of his grace; and differ from the other, in that they spring from the grace of God, are done in faith, by the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, and by strength received from him, and in love to him, and with a view to the glory of God; whereas moral virtues, as exercised by a mere moral man, spring from nature, and are performed by the mere strength of it, and are destitute of faith, and so but splendida peccata, splendid sins, and proceed from self-love, from sinister ends, and with selfish views: and to virtue, knowledge ; not of Christ, mentioned ( 2 Peter 1:8) and which is included in faith, for there can be no true faith in Christ, were there not knowledge of him; but of the will of God, which it is necessary men should be acquainted with, in order to perform it; or else though they may seem zealous of good works, their zeal will not be according to knowledge; they ought to know what are virtues or good works in God's account, and what are the nature and use of them, lest they should mistake and misapply them; or of the Scriptures of truth, and of the mysteries of the Gospel, which should be diligently searched, for the increase and improvement of knowledge in divine things, and which has a considerable influence on a just, sober, and godly living; or by knowledge may be meant prudence and wisdom, in ordering the external conversation aright towards those that are without, and in showing good works out of it, to others, by way of example, and for the evidence of the truth of things, with meekness of wisdom.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Faith unites the weak believer to Christ, as really as it does the strong one, and purifies the heart of one as truly as of another; an every sincere believer is by his faith justified in the sight of God Faith worketh godliness, and produces effects which no other grace in the soul can do. In Christ all fulness dwells, and pardon, peace grace, and knowledge, and new principles, are thus given through the Holy Spirit. The promises to those who are partakers of a Divin nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit. The believe must add knowledge to his virtue, increasing acquaintance with the whole truth and will of God. We must add temperance to knowledge moderation about worldly things; and add to temperance, patience, or cheerful submission to the will of God. Tribulation worketh patience whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence and submission To patience we must add godliness: this includes the holy affection and dispositions found in the true worshipper of God; with tende affection to all fellow Christians, who are children of the sam Father, servants of the same Master, members of the same family travellers to the same country, heirs of the same inheritance Wherefore let Christians labour to attain assurance of their calling and of their election, by believing and well-doing; and thus carefull to endeavour, is a firm argument of the grace and mercy of God upholding them so that they shall not utterly fall. Those who ar diligent in the work of religion, shall have a triumphant entrance int that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns, and they shall reign with him for ever and ever; and it is in the practice of every good wor that we are to expect entrance to heaven.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 αυτο 846 τουτο 5124 δε 1161 σπουδην 4710 πασαν 3956 παρεισενεγκαντες 3923 5660 επιχορηγησατε 2023 5657 εν 1722 τη 3588 πιστει 4102 υμων 5216 την 3588 αρετην 703 εν 1722 δε 1161 τη 3588 αρετη 703 την 3588 γνωσιν 1108
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Beside this (auto touto). Wrong. Render, for this very cause, as Rev. Lit., this very thing. Just as ti, what? has come to mean why? So the strengthened demonstrative acquires the meaning of wherefore, for this very cause.Giving all diligence (spoudhn pasan pareisenegkantev). The verb occurs only here in New Testament, and means, literally, to bring in by the side of: adding your diligence to the divine promises. So Rev., adding on your part.
Add to your faith, etc. The A.V. is entirely wrong. The verb rendered add (epicorhghsate) is derived from corov, a chorus, such as was employed in the representation of the Greek tragedies. The verb originally means to bear the expense of a chorus, which was done by a person selected by the state, who was obliged to defray all the expenses of training and maintenance. In the New Testament the word has lost this technical sense, and is used in the general sense of supplying or providing. The verb is used by Paul (2 Cor. ix. 10; Gal. iii. 5; Col. ii. 19), and is rendered minister (A.V.), supply (Rev.); and the simple verb corhgew, minister, occurs 1 Pet. iv. 11; 2 Cor. ix. 10. Here the Rev., properly, renders supply.
To your faith (en th pistei). The A.V. exhorts to add one virtue to another; but the Greek, to develop one virtue in the exercise of another: "an increase by growth, not by external junction; each new grace springing out of, attempting, and perfecting the other." Render, therefore, as Rev. In your faith supply virtue, and in your virtue knowledge, etc.
Virtue. See on ver. 3, and 1 Pet. ii. 9. Not in the sense of moral excellence, but of the energy which Christians are to exhibit, as God exerts his energy upon them. As God calls us by his own virtue (ver. 3), so Christians are to exhibit virtue or energy in the exercise of their faith, translating it into vigorous action.
