2 Peter 1:16 (WEB)

Passage

For we did not 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.

Nearby Context

2 Peter 1:14 knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

2 Peter 1:15 Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

2 Peter 1:16 For we did not 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.

2 Peter 1:17 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.”Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35

2 Peter 1:18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "follow", "cunningly", "devised", "fables", "known", "power", "coming", and "lord". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "follow" and "cunningly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Yes I will make every effort that..." into verse 17's "For he received from God the Father...", so "follow" and "cunningly" belong inside that flow. In 2 Peter context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "follow" and "cunningly" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.