Τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες, ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται. οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη ποτὲ προφητεία, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ Πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἅγιοι Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
Knowing this first, that every prophecy of Scripture is not of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought by the will of man, but men spoke from God, being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Exegetical Analysis
This densely packed pair of verses begins with the phrase τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες — “knowing this first.” The participle γινώσκοντες (present active participle, nominative masculine plural) functions imperatively, meaning “you must know this above all.” The adverb πρῶτον prioritizes what follows as a foundational truth about the nature of prophecy and Scripture.
The clause ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται is syntactically challenging. πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς means “every prophecy of Scripture,” with γραφῆς in the genitive, likely functioning as a genitive of source. The noun ἐπιλύσεως (genitive feminine singular of ἐπίλυσις) means “interpretation” or “explanation.” The adjective ἰδίας (“one’s own, private”) qualifies ἐπιλύσεως, and the whole phrase means: “is not of one’s own interpretation.”
The verb γίνεται (present middle/passive indicative) signifies “comes to be, originates, arises.” Thus, Peter asserts that prophecy does not arise from private explanation — whether from the prophet’s own ideas or from the hearer’s subjective understanding.
Verse 21 supports and explains this by using a γὰρ clause: οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη ποτὲ προφητεία — “for no prophecy was ever brought about by the will of man.” The aorist passive verb ἠνέχθη (from φέρω) means “was brought” or “was borne along.” The adverb ποτε reinforces that this has never been the case — prophecy never had its origin in human volition.
The contrastive clause begins with ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ Πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι — “but being carried along by the Holy Spirit.” φερόμενοι is a present passive participle, emphasizing divine agency. The imagery recalls a ship borne by the wind — a classic metaphor for Spirit-guided inspiration. The sentence concludes with ἐλάλησαν ἅγιοι Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι — “holy men of God spoke,” identifying the prophetic speakers not by name, but by calling and divine connection.
Interpreting the Sacred Patterns
This passage is a cornerstone for the doctrine of inspiration, but Peter’s concern is not academic — it’s pastoral and polemical. He is confronting false teachers who distort Scripture for personal ends (cf. 2 Peter 2:1–3), and his answer is to anchor Scripture in the Spirit, not in man.
The phrase ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως is crucial. It suggests that prophecy is not something one generates or twists according to one’s own interpretive agenda. Peter thus guards the objective origin and the divine control of prophecy — both in its delivery and in its intended meaning. This combats both liberal individualism and authoritarian distortion.
The verb ἠνέχθη and the participle φερόμενοι use the same root (φέρω) to describe prophecy as something carried — not crafted. This imagery negates the notion that prophets were merely spiritual poets; they were vessels borne by the Spirit’s wind. The use of ἅγιοι Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι points to their consecration — not innate holiness, but divine appointment.
Where Word Meets Worship
This verse invites the Church to treat Scripture as sacred speech — not simply ancient text, but divine utterance. The Scriptures are not the product of inspired men’s religious thoughts; they are the result of the Holy Spirit carrying men into divine speech. This radically humbles both preachers and readers.
When Peter says that prophecy is not of ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως, he reminds us that we do not have the right to manipulate the text for our ends. We approach it not as masters but as servants. The true preacher, like the prophet, is also “carried along” — not inventing truth, but delivering it.
In worship, this verse calls for reverence before the Word. If holy men spoke as borne by the Holy Spirit, then every reading of Scripture is an invitation to encounter the breath of God. The same Spirit who moved them speaks still — but he speaks in the text, not apart from it.
Exegetical Feature Table
| Greek Word | Form | Lexical Meaning | Interpretive Role | Exegetical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| γινώσκοντες | Present Active Participle, Nom. Masc. Pl. | “knowing” | Imperatival participle | Marks foundational truth for believers to recognize |
| ἐπιλύσεως | Genitive Feminine Singular | “interpretation, explanation” | Qualifies prophecy’s origin | Refers to subjective/private explanation or origin |
| ἠνέχθη | Aorist Passive Indicative, 3rd Singular | “was brought, was borne” | Describes prophecy’s divine origin | Never arose from man’s volition — passive divine initiation |
| φερόμενοι | Present Passive Participle, Nom. Masc. Pl. | “being carried along” | Describes prophetic process | Implies Spirit-led compulsion (like a ship by wind), not self-direction |
| ἐλάλησαν | Aorist Active Indicative, 3rd Plural | “they spoke” | Climactic action | Reveals that the prophets functioned as vocal instruments of God |
Men Borne by the Wind
In an age of personalized spirituality and interpretive anarchy, Peter speaks across time: prophecy is not of private interpretation, nor of human initiative. The prophets did not raise their voices; they were raised into voice by the Spirit. And the words they uttered were not inspired ideas but Spirit-breathed utterances.
The Word is not ours to own, bend, or update. It is not a wax nose to be reshaped by modern pressures. It is a wind-blown fire that came through holy men, and now rests in holy writ. If we are to hear God rightly, we must approach this prophetic word with trembling, not tampering.
For the same Spirit that bore them along still speaks — and he does so in these very words.
