At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Peter (traditional); critical: pseudonymous (heavily debated) |
| Date | ~64-67 AD (traditional, near Peter's death) |
| Audience | Same as 1 Peter or wider |
| Genre | Epistle / farewell |
| Purpose | Warn against false teachers and assure Christ's return |
| Chapters | 3 |
Authorship debate
| View | Position |
|---|---|
| Petrine (traditional) | NT canonized and early-church tradition |
| Pseudonymous (critical) | Greek style differs from 1 Peter; Jude parallels suggest dependence; some early-church doubts |
Mainstream evangelical affirms Petrine authorship despite some critical scholarship; book in NT canon.
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Christian virtues | 2 Peter 1:5-11 progression |
| Inspiration of Scripture | 2 Peter 1:20-21 |
| False teachers warned | 2 Peter 2 |
| Christ's return certain | 2 Peter 3, scoffers and Day of Lord |
| God's patience | 2 Peter 3:9, God's patience, not wanting anyone to perish |
Key passages
- 2 Peter 1:4, partakers of divine nature
- 2 Peter 1:5-11, Christian virtues progression
- 2 Peter 1:20-21, inspiration
- 2 Peter 3:8, a thousand years are as one day with the Lord
- 2 Peter 3:9, God's patience
- 2 Peter 3:13, new heavens and new earth