4. He has also given us his very great and valuable promises. He did it so you could share in his nature. He also did it so you could escape from the evil in the world. That evil is caused by sinful longings.
5. So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge.
6. To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness.
7. To godliness, add kindness to believers. And to kindness to believers, add love.
8. You should possess more and more of those good points. They will make you useful and fruitful as you get to know our Lord Jesus Christ better.
9. But what if some of you do not have those good points? Then you can't see very well. You are blind. You have forgotten that your past sins have been washed away.
10. My brothers and sisters, be very sure that God has appointed you to be saved. Be sure that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall.
11. You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts forever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12. So I will always remind you of these things. I'll do it even though you know them. I'll do it even though you now have deep roots in the truth.
13. I think it is right for me to remind you. It is right as long as I live in this tent. I'm talking about my body.
14. I know my tent will soon be removed. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made that clear to me.
15. I hope that you will always be able to remember these things after I'm gone. I will try very hard to see that you do.
16. We told you about the time our Lord Jesus Christ came with power. But we didn't make up stories when we told you about it. With our own eyes we saw him in all his majesty.
17. God the Father gave him honor and glory. The voice of the Majestic Glory came to him. It said, "This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him." (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35)
18. We ourselves heard the voice that came from heaven. We were with him on the sacred mountain.