2 Peter 1 · Verse 9

2 Peter 1:9

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

2 Peter 1:9, King James Version

2 Peter 1:9 in other translations

BSB	But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
WEB	For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
ASV	For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
YLT	for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins;
DARBY	for he with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former sins.
BBE	For the man who has not these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having no memory of how he was made clean from his old sins.
Webster	But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purified from his old sins.

What does 2 Peter 1:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. But--Greek, "For." Confirming the need of these graces (2Pe 1:5-8) by the fatal consequences of the want of them. he that lacketh--Greek, "he to whom these are not present." blind--as to the spiritual realities of the unseen world. and cannot see afar off--explanatory of "blind." He closes his eyes (Greek) as unable to see distant objects (namely, heavenly things), and fixes his gaze on present and earthly things which alone he can see. Perhaps a degree of wilfulness in the blindness is implied in the Greek, "closing the eyes," which constitutes its culpability; hating and rebelling against the light shining around him. forgotten--Greek, "contracted forgetfulness," wilful and culpable obliviousness. that he was purged--The continually present sense of one's sins having been once for all forgiven, is the strongest stimulus to every grace (Psa 130:4). This once-for-all accomplished cleansing of unbelievers at their new birth is taught symbolically by Christ, Joh 13:10, Greek, "He that has been bathed (once for all) needeth not save to wash his feet (of the soils contracted in the daily walk), but is clean every whit (in Christ our righteousness)." "Once purged (with Christ's blood), we should have no more consciousness of sin (as condemning us, He 10:2, because of God's promise)." Baptism is the sacramental pledge of this.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 9. But he that lacketh these things is blind. He has no clear views of the nature and the requirements of religion.

And cannot see afar off. The word used here, which does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, (μυωπαζω,) means to shut the eyes; i.e., to contract the eyelids, to blink, to twinkle, as one who cannot see clearly, and hence to be near-sighted. The meaning here is, that he is like one who has an indistinct vision; one who can see only the objects that are near him, but who has no correct apprehension of objects that are more remote. He sees but a little way into the true nature and design of the gospel, he does not take those large and clear views which would enable him to comprehend the whole system at a glance.

And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. He does not remember the obligation which grows out of the fact that a system has been devised to purify the heart, and that he has been so far brought under the power of that system as to have his sins forgiven. If he had any just view of that, he would see that he was under obligation to make as high attainments as possible, and to cultivate to the utmost extent the Christian graces.

(++) "lacketh" "hath not" (&) "can not see afar off" "And short-sighted" (|) "purged" "cleansed"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 But he that lacketh these things - He, whether Jew or Gentile, who professes to have Faith in God, and has not added to that Faith fortitude, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and universal love; is blind - his understanding is darkened, and cannot see afar off, μυωπαζων, shutting his eyes against the light, winking, not able to look truth in the face, nor to behold that God whom he once knew was reconciled to him: and thus it appears he is wilfully blind, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins - has at last, through his nonimprovement of the grace which he received from God, his faith ceasing to work by love, lost the evidence of things not seen; for, having grieved the Holy Spirit by not showing forth the virtues of him who called him into his marvellous light, he has lost the testimony of his sonship; and then, darkness and hardness having taken place of light and filial confidence, he first calls all his former experience into doubt, and questions whether he has not put enthusiasm in the place of religion. By these means his darkness and hardness increase, his memory becomes indistinct and confused, till at length he forgets the work of God on his soul, next denies it, and at last asserts that the knowledge of salvation, by the remission of sins, is impossible, and that no man can be saved from sin in this life. Indeed, some go so far as to deny the Lord that bought them; to renounce Jesus Christ as having made atonement for them; and finish their career of apostasy by utterly denying his Godhead. Many cases of this kind have I known; and they are all the consequence of believers not continuing to be workers together with God, after they had experienced his pardoning love. Reader, see that the light that is in thee become not darkness; for if it do, how great a darkness!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Peter 1:1-11

Chapter Outline Exhortations to add the exercise of various other graces to faith. (1-11) The apostle looks forward to his approaching decease. (12-15) And confirms the truth of the gospel, relating to Christ's appearing to judgment. (16-21) 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; and every sincere believer is by…

Read the full comment on 2 Peter 1:1-11 →

2 Peter 1:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ᾯHōIn whomeverG3739

γὰρgarforG1063

μὴmēnotG3361

πάρεστινparestinare presentG3918

ταῦτα,tautathese things,G3778

τυφλόςtuphlosblindG5185

ἐστινestinhe isG1510

μυωπάζων,muōpazōnbeing short sighted,G3467

λήθηνlēthēnforgetfulnessG3024

λαβὼνlabōnhaving receivedG2983

τοῦtouof theG3588

καθαρισμοῦkatharismoupurificationG2512

τῶνtōntheG3588

πάλαιpalaiformerG3819

αὐτοῦautouof himG846

ἁμαρτιῶν.hamartiōnsins.G266

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Peter 1:9

1 John 2:9-11
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
2 Peter 2:18-20
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
James 2:14-26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. …
Ephesians 5:26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:11
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Peter 3:21
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Hebrews 9:14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

lacketh.
5-7; Mr 10:21; Lu 18:22; Ga 5:6,13; Jas 2:14-26
blind.
Joh 9:40,41; 2Co 4:3,4; 1Jo 2:9-11; Re 3:17
that he.
4; 2:18-20; Ro 6:1-4,11; Eph 5:26; Heb 9:14; 1Pe 3:21; 1Jo 1:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Peter 1:8
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:9
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Read all of 2 Peter 1

2 Peter 1:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas el que no tiene estas cosas, es ciego, y tiene la vista muy corta, habiendo olvidado la purificación de sus antiguos pecados.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car celui en qui ces choses ne se trouvent pas est aveugle, et ne voit pas loin, ayant oublié la purification de ses péchés d’autrefois.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn bei welchem diese Dinge nicht sind, der ist blind, kurzsichtig und hat die Reinigung seiner vorigen Sünden vergessen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cui enim non præsto sunt hæc, cæcus est, et manu tentans, oblivionem accipiens purgationis veterum suorum delictorum.