2 Peter 1:9 (WEB)

Passage

For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

Nearby Context

2 Peter 1:7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

2 Peter 1:8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

2 Peter 1:11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lacks", "things", "blind", "seeing", "only", "near", "having", and "forgotten". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lacks" and "things", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "For if these things are yours and..." into verse 10's "Therefore brothers be more diligent to make...", so "lacks" and "things" 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 "lacks" and "things" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.