II Peter 3:18 · Bible study
2 Peter 3:18 Commentary: Grow in Grace and Knowledge
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the call to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, the antidote to falling, and the doxology to our Lord.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Believers must continually grow in the grace that saves and in personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, and ascribe eternal glory to him.
- Key words: auxanō (grow; present imperative), charis (grace), gnōsis (knowledge), doxa (glory, with the article), hēmera aiōnos (day of eternity).
- Main debate: The phrase 'day of eternity', does it refer to the eschatological day of the Lord or to an unending, timeless state?
- Theological theme: Perseverance through progress; the link between growth in sanctification and the glory of Christ.
- Best use: A concluding exhortation and doxology for sermons on the Christian life; a basis for small-group application on spiritual disciplines.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
KJV King James Version 1769
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him is the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
but grow in grace, and in [the] knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and to [the] day of eternity. Amen.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity, Amen.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas creced en la gracia y conocimiento de nuestro Señor y Salvador Jesucristo|strong="G2424, G5547". A él sea gloria ahora y hasta el día de la eternidad. Amén.
Mas crescei em graça e conhecimento de nosso Senhor e Salvador Jesus Cristo. A ele seja a glória, tanto agora como no dia da eternidade, Amém!
Mais croissez dans la grâce et dans la connaissance de notre Seigneur et Sauveur Jésus-Christ. A lui soit la gloire, maintenant et pour l’éternité! Amen!
Wachset aber in der Gnade und Erkenntnis unsers HERRN und Heilandes Jesu Christi. Dem sei Ehre nun und zu ewigen Zeiten! Amen.
Maar wast op in de genade en kennis van onzen Heere en Zaligmaker Jezus Christus. Hem zij de heerlijkheid, beide nu en in de dag der eeuwigheid. Amen.
ma crescete nella grazia e nella conoscenza del nostro Signore e Salvatore Gesù Cristo. A lui sia la gloria, ora e in sempiterno. Amen.
Ale rośćcie w łasce i w znajomości Pana naszego i Zbawiciela, Jezusa Chrystusa, któremu niech będzie chwała i teraz, i na czasy wieczne. Amen.
но возрастайте в благодати и познании Господа нашего и Спасителя Иисуса Христа. Ему слава и ныне и в день вечный. Аминь.
你們卻要 在我們 主─ 救主 耶穌 基督 的恩典 和 知識 上 有長進。願榮耀 歸給他，從 今 直到 永遠。阿們！
But be increased in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May he have glory now and for ever. So be it.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Peter 3:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read this verse as the apostle's final call to perseverance through progress. The present imperative auxanete (αὐξάνετε) is significant: Peter commands continuous growth, not a one-time effort. Wesley describes a Christian who does not grow as 'sickly' and heading toward spiritual death. Calvin agrees, noting that 'the only way of persevering is to make continual advances.' Barnes adds that growth in religion is as natural as cultivation; a Christian reaps what she tends.
On the pairing of grace and knowledge, Calvin sees grace as the attainment and knowledge of Christ as the means. Clarke pictures grace as a seed that multiplies when watered from above. The doxology at the close draws particular attention. The Cambridge Bible observes that the Greek article with doxa (δόξα) includes all the glory due to God, which Peter ascribes to Jesus Christ. Calvin calls this 'a remarkable passage to prove the divinity of Christ.' The unique phrase 'day of eternity' (hēmeran aiōnos) points to an unending day that begins with the Lord's coming (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: All Christians agree that growth in grace and knowledge of Christ is commanded, and that Jesus Christ is worthy of eternal glory.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Necessity of growth in the Christian life | All traditions agree that growth in grace and knowledge is essential for spiritual health and perseverance, not optional. | The emphasis on human responsibility versus divine sovereignty in causing growth is understood differently: Wesleyan traditions stress cooperation with grace; Reformed traditions stress God as the sole source of increase. |
| Relationship between grace and knowledge | Grace and knowledge are inseparably linked; knowledge of Christ is the means through which grace is received and increased. | Some commentators (Calvin) see grace as the result and knowledge as the means; others (Clarke, Gill) stress that grace itself is a seed that grows through the means of knowledge. |
| Doxology to Christ | Glory is ascribed to Jesus Christ, indicating his full divinity and worthy of worship alongside the Father. | Early Arian controversies questioned whether such doxology belonged to Christ. Historic Christian teaching upholds it as scriptural; some groups (e.g., Christadelphians) interpret it as praise to God through Christ. |
| Meaning of 'the day of eternity' | The phrase refers to a period beyond the present age, eternal in duration. | Some interpret it as the specific day of the Lord's coming and final judgment (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown); others see it as an image of the endless day of glory that begins at Christ's return but stretches without end. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The immediate context of 2 Peter 3 is a vigorous defense of the Lord's coming against false teachers who scoff at the promise (2 Peter 3:3-4). Peter calls his readers to holy living in light of that coming (vv. 11-14) and warns them not to be swept away by the error of the wicked (v. 17). The command to grow in grace and knowledge is the direct remedy: growth is the path to steadfastness.
False teachers in these churches likely boasted of a special, secret knowledge (gnōsis). The Cambridge Bible notes the connection with 'knowledge falsely so called' (1 Timothy 6:20). Peter redefines knowledge as personal and ever-deepening acquaintance with Jesus Christ, not abstract speculation. The epistle's structure mirrors this: it opens with a prayer that grace and peace be multiplied 'in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord' (2 Peter 1:2).
The closing doxology would have struck a powerful note in a Jewish context, where glory was ascribed to God alone. The Cambridge Bible links it to Pliny the Younger's report that Christians in Bithynia (ca. AD 112) sang a hymn to Christ as God. The unique Greek phrase 'to the day of eternity' (eis hēmeran aiōnos) likely refers to the eternal day that dawns with Christ's return, a day with no night and no end. Unlike 1 Peter, which ends with personal greetings and a benediction, 2 Peter closes without them. The Cambridge commentary suggests this is 'perhaps in part due to the wider and more encyclical character' of the letter.
Textual Notes
The Greek text of this verse is well established. The word 'Amen' appears in most manuscripts and is accepted in modern editions, though Clarke notes it is 'wanting in some reputable MSS.' The Syriac version adds 'and of God the Father' after the title of Christ, but this is not supported by the Greek manuscript tradition. The unique phrase 'to the day of eternity' (εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος) occurs only here in the New Testament, but its meaning is clear from the context.
Reception History
This closing verse of 2 Peter has been widely used in Christian liturgy as a benediction and in hymns calling believers to spiritual growth. Calvin appealed to it as a clear proof of Christ's deity: a doxology that belongs to God alone is directed to Jesus. In the Eastern tradition, the phrase 'to the day of eternity' is often echoed in prayers that look forward to the unending day of God's kingdom. The verse has also been a comfort to those struggling with doubt, reminding them that growth is a process, not a destination.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Command: Keep Growing. The present imperative demands ongoing action. Growth is not optional; it is the means God uses to keep us from falling.
- The Content: Grace and Knowledge. Grace is the gift; knowledge of Christ is the channel. We grow by knowing him more deeply through Scripture, prayer, and the church.
- The Conclusion: Glory to Christ. The doxology ties growth to worship. We grow so that Christ may receive glory now and in the eternal day to come.
Five-point outline
- Called to Progress: From the warning of falling (v. 17) to the command of growth (v. 18).
- Character of Growth: Grace is cultivated like a garden, fed by the water of God's Word and the Spirit.
- Connection to Christ: Knowledge is not information but relationship; to know Christ is to experience life (John 17:3).
- Culmination in Doxology: The church's mission is to display and ascribe glory to Jesus.
- Consummation: The Day of Eternity: Our growth aims at that day when glory will be seen fully.
Illustration hooks
- Gardening: A plant that stops growing begins to die. A Christian who rests on past grace without progressing withers spiritually. Growth requires root, soil, and water, means of grace.
- Learning a skill: A musician who stops practicing loses proficiency. So the Christian who neglects prayer, Scripture, and fellowship finds faith growing cold.
- Walking a steep trail: The path narrows; standing still invites slipping. Forward steps are the surest guard against a fall.
Questions your congregation is asking
- "Is it wrong to feel like I'm not growing? Should I be worried?"
- "How do I actually 'grow in grace'? What does that look like on a Tuesday morning?"
- "What about people who seem to have stopped growing? Can they start again?"
Leading a Discussion
Peter ends his letter with a command and a doxology. This final verse challenges us to see growth not as optional but as essential to remaining steadfast. As you discuss, consider what 'growing in grace and knowledge' looks like practically in your daily walk with Christ.
Discussion questions
- What does the word 'grow' imply about the Christian life? How does it connect to the warning in verse 17?
- How would you describe the difference between 'grace' and 'knowledge' here? Why does Peter join them together?
- Why does Peter point to Jesus as the object of both growth and glory? What does that tell us about who Jesus is?
- What are some practical ways to grow in grace daily? How can we help one another in this?
- The doxology ends with 'both now and to the day of eternity.' How does this shape your view of worship and your hope for the future?
- Is there any area of your life where you sense you have stopped growing? What one step could you take this week?
- How does this verse speak to believers across different traditions (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox) together?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 92:12 | The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. |
| Hosea 14:5 | I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon. |
| Malachi 4:2 | But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out and leap like calves of the stall. |
| Matthew 6:13 | Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’ |
| Matthew 28:20 | teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. |
| John 5:23 | that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him. |
| John 17:3 | This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. |
| Romans 11:36 | For of him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that growing in grace is not optional but essential; a Christian who does not grow daily becomes spiritually sick and will eventually lose even the grace they first received. He compares growth to a seed that must be continually watered and nurtured. Drawing from nature, he argues that an infant who fails to grow is dying, and the same holds for believers.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that true perseverance requires constant forward movement, not standing still. He distinguishes grace as the spiritual gift itself and the knowledge of Christ as the path that leads to it. The doxology is a key proof of Christ's divinity, since glory belongs to God alone for all eternity.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary emphasizes that the call to "grow in grace" is closely tied to knowledge, both as essential for spiritual completeness and as a safeguard against the false teachers' empty boasts of knowledge. The doxology's Greek wording ascribes to Christ the full glory due to God, and the unique phrase for "for ever" points to the eternal day that will dawn after the events described earlier in the letter.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to him be glory both now and for euermore. Amen.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes three meanings of grace in this verse: spiritual gifts, inward sanctification, and the Gospel itself. He stresses that while growth in each is ultimately God’s work, believers must actively use means such as prayer, Scripture, and remembering Christ’s example to increase them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that "grow" means active onward progress, not just avoiding a fall. The grace and knowledge belong to Christ: grace from Him as author, knowledge of Him as object. "For ever" translates a Greek phrase meaning the endless day of the Lord that begins at His coming.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that the apostle's teaching about the coming destruction of the heavens and earth is meant to drive believers toward holy living, not mere speculation. Truths about Christ's return must produce practical godliness, or knowing them is of no benefit.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley insists that genuine Christian growth requires daily mortifying remaining evil, not merely possessing grace without progress. He particularly defends "frames and feelings" — heavenly tempers and divine consolations — as essential marks of true faith, warning against opposing these to faith or Christ as if they were unspiritual.