independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The salutation 1:1–2
1
Συμεὼν Πέτρος δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦindependent — the sender — the Semitic Συμεών beside the Greek Πέτρος; slave first, apostle second
τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστινphrase modifier — dative of address — ἰσότιμον: equal in honor with the apostles’ own; λαχοῦσιν, allotted, not achieved
ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ·phrase modifier — the faith’s ground — one article over θεοῦ and σωτῆρος (Granville Sharp): Jesus is ‘our God and Savior’
2
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.independent — the greeting — optative πληθυνθείη; ἐπίγνωσις sounds the letter’s keynote
Divine power, precious promises, and the ladder of virtues 1:3–11
vv. 3–4 — everything already given: the frame the imperative rests on
3
Ὡς πάντα ἡμῖν τῆς θείας δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ τὰ πρὸς ζωὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν δεδωρημένηςparticipial — Ὡς + genitive absolute — leans forward across vv. 3–4 on ἐπιχορηγήσατε (v. 5): the gift precedes the demand
διὰ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεωςphrase modifier — the channel of the gift — ἐπίγνωσις again (v. 2)
τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ,participial — articular participle — the caller; ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ read (‘his own glory’), not διὰ δόξης
4
δι' ὧν τὰ τίμια καὶ μέγιστα ἡμῖν ἐπαγγέλματα δεδώρηται,relative — δι’ ὧν on ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ — through what he is, the promises are given
ἵνα διὰ τούτων γένησθε θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως,purpose — the promises’ goal — θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως: the chapter’s boldest phrase
ἀποφυγόντες τῆς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ φθορᾶς.participial — the flight that accompanies the sharing — φθορά born of ἐπιθυμία
vv. 5–7 — the sorites: seven rungs from faith to love
5
καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δὲ σπουδὴν πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντεςparticipial — fronted participle — leans on the imperative below; αὐτὸ τοῦτο: precisely because all is given (vv. 3–4)
ἐπιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρετήν,independent — the chapter’s one imperative — ἐπιχορηγήσατε, the chorus-furnisher’s lavish verb; rung 1: faith → virtue
ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν,independent — rung 2 — the verb carried over; each grace grown in the soil of the last
6
ἐν δὲ τῇ γνώσει τὴν ἐγκράτειαν,independent — rung 3 — γνῶσις kept from pride by ἐγκράτεια
ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐγκρατείᾳ τὴν ὑπομονήν,independent — rung 4 — self-mastery lengthened into ὑπομονή
ἐν δὲ τῇ ὑπομονῇ τὴν εὐσέβειαν,independent — rung 5 — endurance turned Godward: εὐσέβεια, the gift of v. 3 now the task
7
ἐν δὲ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν φιλαδελφίαν,independent — rung 6 — piety made fraternal: φιλαδελφία
ἐν δὲ τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ τὴν ἀγάπην.independent — rung 7 — the ladder crests, as Paul’s triads do, in ἀγάπη
vv. 8–9 — the two portraits: fruitful with them, blind without them
8
ταῦτα γὰρ ὑμῖν ὑπάρχοντα καὶ πλεονάζονταparticipial — fronted conditional participles — lean on καθίστησιν below; γάρ grounds the imperative
οὐκ ἀργοὺς οὐδὲ ἀκάρπους καθίστησιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπίγνωσιν·independent — the double litotes — οὐκ ἀργοὺς οὐδὲ ἀκάρπους; ἐπίγνωσις once more the sphere
9
ᾧ γὰρ μὴ πάρεστιν ταῦτα,relative — indefinite relative — leans forward like a protasis: the negative portrait
τυφλός ἐστιν μυωπάζων,independent — τυφλὸς μυωπάζων — blind, squinting; unable to see as far as the eternal kingdom
λήθην λαβὼν τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν.participial — causal — λήθην λαβών: the blindness is a forgetting of baptismal cleansing
vv. 10–11 — therefore: the call made sure, the entrance richly supplied
10
διὸ μᾶλλον, ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσατεindependent — διὸ μᾶλλον — the ladder’s inference, warmed by ἀδελφοί
βεβαίαν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν ποιεῖσθαι·content — complement infinitive — βεβαίαν: God’s call and election confirmed from the human side
ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντεςparticipial — fronted conditional participle — leans on the promise below
οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε.independent — οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε — the emphatic double negative: no fall, ever
11
οὕτως γὰρ πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.cause — γάρ — ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται returns v. 5’s verb in the passive: supply the virtues, and the entrance is supplied; the single-article pair again (Lord and Savior)
The reminder before the tent comes down 1:12–15
12
Διὸ μελλήσω ἀεὶ ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνῄσκειν περὶ τούτων,independent — Διό — testament language: the whole letter a standing reminder
καίπερ εἰδότας καὶ ἐστηριγμένους ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ ἀληθείᾳ.participial — καίπερ concessive — knowledge and stability conceded, the reminder still owed
13
δίκαιον δὲ ἡγοῦμαι,independent — δίκαιον ἡγοῦμαι — the apostle’s duty stated as justice
ἐφ' ὅσον εἰμὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ σκηνώματι,relative — ἐφ’ ὅσον temporal — τὸ σκήνωμα: the body a tent, soon to be struck
διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑπομνήσει,content — epexegetic infinitive — what the ‘right thing’ is: διεγείρειν, to keep them awake
14
εἰδὼςparticipial — causal — the ground of the urgency
ὅτι ταχινή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπόθεσις τοῦ σκηνώματός μου,content — ταχινή — swift and soon; ἀπόθεσις: the tent laid aside like a garment
καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐδήλωσέν μοι.comparative — the dominical disclosure — Jn 21:18–19: the death foretold by the risen Lord
15
σπουδάσω δὲ καὶindependent — σπουδάσω — the σπουδή he asks of them (vv. 5, 10) he pledges himself
ἑκάστοτε ἔχειν ὑμᾶς μετὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἔξοδον τὴν τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι.purpose — purpose infinitive chain — ἔξοδος: his death a departure, the Transfiguration’s own word (Lk 9:31)
Eyewitnesses of the majesty, and the prophetic word 1:16–21
vv. 16–18 — not myths but the mountain: the transfiguration remembered
16
οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντεςparticipial — the denial — fronted participle leaning on ἐγνωρίσαμεν; σεσοφισμένοι μῦθοι: the scoffers’ charge returned
ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν,independent — the apostolic proclamation — δύναμις καὶ παρουσία: the very doctrine the mockers will deny (3:4)
ἀλλ' ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος.participial — the counter-participle — ἐπόπται: initiated eyewitnesses of the μεγαλειότης
17
λαβὼν γὰρ παρὰ θεοῦ πατρὸς τιμὴν καὶ δόξανparticipial — ANACOLUTHON — λαβών never reaches its own finite verb; the sentence is caught up by v. 18’s ἠκούσαμεν
φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης αὐτῷ τοιᾶσδε ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς δόξης·participial — genitive absolute — ἡ μεγαλοπρεπὴς δόξα: a reverent periphrasis for God himself
Ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός μου οὗτός ἐστιν, εἰς ὃν ἐγὼ εὐδόκησα,content — the voice quoted — cf. Mt 17:5; the fronted Ὁ υἱός μου word order is 2 Peter’s own
18
καὶ ταύτην τὴν φωνὴν ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐνεχθεῖσανindependent — the finite verb at last — ἡμεῖς emphatic: we heard it
σὺν αὐτῷ ὄντες ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει.participial — temporal — the mountain now ‘holy’ because of what happened there
vv. 19–21 — the prophetic word: a lamp until dawn, men carried by the Spirit
19
καὶ ἔχομεν βεβαιότερον τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον,independent — βεβαιότερον read as predicate — the word confirmed by the mountain, not merely ‘surer than’ the vision
ᾧ καλῶς ποιεῖτε προσέχοντεςrelative — the readers’ part — προσέχοντες: sustained attention
ὡς λύχνῳ φαίνοντι ἐν αὐχμηρῷ τόπῳ,comparative — simile — αὐχμηρὸς τόπος: a murky, parched place; the present age
ἕως οὗ ἡμέρα διαυγάσῃ καὶ φωσφόρος ἀνατείλῃ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν·relative — ἕως οὗ temporal — φωσφόρος: the morning star of the parousia, rising ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις
20
τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντεςparticipial — attendant on ποιεῖτε προσέχοντες — the first rule for reading the lamp
ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται·content — ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως read of origin — the prophet’s own unravelling — not of the reader’s exegesis; v. 21 grounds it
21
οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη προφητεία ποτέ,cause — the negative ground — ἠνέχθη: ‘borne,’ the very verb of the mountain voice (vv. 17–18)
ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι.cause — the positive counterpart — φερόμενοι: carried like a ship before the wind; ἀπὸ θεοῦ read, not ‘holy men of God’
Analysis. The chapter falls into four panels, and the margin tells the story of each. In the salutation the sender stands flush left and the address hangs beneath him; the layout follows the single article of τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (the Granville Sharp construction) and reads one referent: Jesus is ‘our God and Savior.’ The second panel is the letter’s engine: the Ὡς…δεδωρημένης genitive absolute of vv. 3–4 is taken as a forward-leaning frame over the chapter’s one imperative ἐπιχορηγήσατε (v. 5) — teal leaning on purple, gift before demand — and its own chain descends through the caller’s glory to the promises and the astonishing purpose θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως. Then the sorites of vv. 5–7 — the New Testament’s most explicit virtue-ladder — steps down seven rungs from faith to love, each dashed elliptical rung set directly beneath the virtue it grows in, so the staircase is drawn on the page as Peter builds it; ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται (v. 11) then answers ἐπιχορηγήσατε in the passive: supply, and you will be supplied an entrance. Fronted participles and the indefinite relative ᾧ γάρ (vv. 8–10) lean forward on their main clauses like protases, exactly as the conditional shading suggests they should be read. The testament panel (vv. 12–15) alternates short flush-left resolves (μελλήσω, ἡγοῦμαι, σπουδάσω) with the clauses of mortality hanging beneath — the tent, its swift laying aside, the Lord’s own disclosure. In the transfiguration panel the layout keeps the famous anacoluthon: λαβὼν γάρ (v. 17) hangs suspended and dashed, never reaching a finite verb of its own, until v. 18’s ἠκούσαμεν returns to the margin and catches the sentence; the Father’s voice hangs in blue beneath φωνῆς. The final panel takes βεβαιότερον as predicative — the prophetic word made more sure by the mountain, not merely surer than it — reads ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως (v. 20) of the prophecy’s origin rather than the reader’s exegesis (v. 21’s γάρ pair grounds exactly that), and follows the critical text’s ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι — men who spoke from God, φερόμενοι, carried along by the Spirit as the mountain voice itself was ‘borne.’