Single lesson
2 Peter 1: A Greeting from Peter
2 Peter 1:1–2; 2 Peter 1:3–15; 2 Peter 1:16–21
In 2 Peter 1, Peter greets believers, reminds them what God has given in Christ, and explains why he keeps repeating these truths. He also says the message about Jesus is trustworthy because it rests on eyewitness testimony and Scripture.
Before you teach
This passage begins with Peter addressing people who share the same precious faith and blessing them with grace and peace. He then explains how God’s power gives what is needed for life and godliness, urges growth in character, says he wants to remind them of these things, and points to eyewitness testimony and prophecy.
Students will identify Peter’s main teaching by naming what God has given, listing the qualities Peter tells believers to grow in, and explaining why Peter says this message can be trusted.
Welcome: One faith, grace and peace
4 minInvite children to listen for repeated ideas as you read. Explain that Peter calls himself a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, and he writes to people who have obtained a like precious faith. He greets them with grace and peace multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Ask children to notice that this letter begins with shared faith and blessing.
2 Peter 1:1, 2 Peter 1:2
Read and explain: What God has given
7 minRead verses 3 to 4 slowly. Explain that Peter says God’s divine power has granted all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us. He also speaks of precious and exceedingly great promises, and says believers may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the world’s corruption. Keep the focus on what the verses say God has given and done.
2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4
Discuss: Growing on purpose
7 minRead verses 5 to 11 and write the list in order: faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection, love. Explain diligence as careful effort. Peter says these qualities help believers not be idle or unfruitful, while forgetting them is like being blind to what matters. He urges believers to be diligent and says doing these things guards against stumbling.
2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:6, 2 Peter 1:7, 2 Peter 1:8, 2 Peter 1:9, 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 1:11
Make and respond: A reminder card
8 minExplain that Peter intentionally reminds his readers because remembering matters. He says they already know these things, yet he still wants to stir them up by reminding them, and he will make every effort so they can remember later too. Children choose one key verse or one quality from the list and make a small reminder card with words and a simple drawing.
2 Peter 1:12, 2 Peter 1:13, 2 Peter 1:15, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:7
Closing: Why this message is trustworthy
4 minRead verses 16 to 21. Explain that Peter says they did not follow cunningly devised fables. He says they were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty and heard the voice from heaven on the holy mountain. He also says prophecy did not come by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Finish by reviewing the lesson goal together.
2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:17, 2 Peter 1:18, 2 Peter 1:19, 2 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 1:21
Questions to explore
According to Peter, what has God already granted, and through what means?
Look closely at the repeated words in verses 3 and 4 about God’s power, promises, and the knowledge of him who called us.
2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4
Which quality in Peter’s list do you think connects most clearly to love, and where do you see that in the order of the list?
Use the exact sequence in verses 5 to 7 and notice that Peter builds one quality onto another.
2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:6, 2 Peter 1:7
What two reasons does Peter give for trusting this message about Jesus?
Find one reason in Peter’s claim about what he and others saw and heard, and the other in what he says about prophecy and the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:18, 2 Peter 1:21
Make, think or respond
Reminder Card for Growth
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or pens
- colours or markers
- Bible
Try it together
- Read 2 Peter 1:5 to 7 together and let each child choose one quality from the list, or choose a short key verse from the passage.
- Fold or cut paper into a small card shape.
- On the front, write the chosen word or verse clearly. Add a simple picture that matches it, such as a heart for love or walking shoes for perseverance.
- On the back, write one realistic way to remember that truth this week, such as showing brotherly affection by including someone in a game.
- Invite children to share their card and explain how it connects to Peter’s reminder.
This activity matches Peter’s purpose of reminding believers of these things so they can remember and grow in the qualities he lists.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, shorten the list to three words to remember first: faith, self-control, and love, then point back to the full list in the Bible.
- For older or more confident readers, ask them to compare verses 12 to 15 with verses 16 to 21 and explain how reminder and trust belong together in Peter’s message.
An optional closing prayer
Dear God, thank you for the grace and peace Peter speaks about. Please help us remember what you have given, grow in these qualities, and pay careful attention to your word. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
2 Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;
6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness;
7 and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.
11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
12 Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth.
13 I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.
15 Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.
16 For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts,
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.
21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.