Wesley treats 2 Peter 1:4 as a call to active, ongoing flight from lustful corruption by pursuing growth in the virtues that flow from God’s promises.[1][2][3]
## Text and note together
In his translation, Wesley renders the verse:
“By which he hath given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these, having escaped the corruption which is in the world through desire, ye may become partakers of the divine nature.”[3][4]
His note links both halves tightly:
– “That, having escaped the manifold corruption which is in the world – From that fruitful fountain, evil desire.”
– “Ye may become partakers of the divine nature – Being renewed in the image of God, and having communion with them, so as to dwell in God and God in you.”[1]
So “escaping corruption” for Wesley is:
– Turning from “evil desire” as the root of the world’s corruption.[1]
– Entering a life of renewal in God’s image and real communion/indwelling.[1]
## Practical outworking: diligence and the virtue‑chain
Wesley immediately ties this to Peter’s exhortation in 1:5–11:
– He stresses that because such “precious promises” and this calling to share the divine nature are given, believers must “give all diligence” to add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to faith.[2][1]
– For him, these graces “being really in you, and abounding” prevent slothfulness and unfruitfulness; where there is less diligence, care, watchfulness, and outward obedience than before conversion, one is “slothful and unfruitful.”[2]
Thus, escaping corruption is not a one‑time status but a continued pattern of:
– Actively fleeing corrupt “manners of the world” rooted in desire.
– Persistently cultivating the listed virtues as the positive form of participation in the divine nature.[2][1]
## Relation to perseverance and holiness
Wesley also uses the passage to exhort against falling away:
– He reads 1:10 (“make your calling and election sure”) as a call to “be the more diligent” in courage, knowledge, temperance, etc., warning believers not to “cast away these inestimable benefits.”[2]
– Practically, escaping corruption is sustained by this diligence; if one neglects the virtues, one risks becoming “blind” and forgetting cleansing from past sins.[2]
In Wesley’s practical use, then, 2 Peter 1:4 underwrites a holiness program: believers continually flee desire‑driven corruption by energetically using the means of grace to grow in the virtues that constitute renewed God‑likeness and real communion with God.[5][1][2]
Sources
[1] 2 Peter 1 Wesley’s Notes – Bible Hub https://biblehub.com/
[2] John Wesley on 2 Peter 1:3-11 – Threads from Henry’s Web https://henrysthreads.com/
[3] The Second Epistle General of St. Peter – Translation by John Wesley https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-
[4] 2 Peter 1:4 https://www.biblegateway.com/
[5] The Means Of Grace – The Wesley Center Online: Sermon 16 https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-
[6] Amplified Bible » 2 Peter » – StudyLight.org https://www.studylight.org/
[7] 2 Peter 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and … https://bible.knowing-jesus.
[8] 2 Peter 1:4 – Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary – StudyLight.org https://www.studylight.org/
[9] Commentary Notes on the Whole Bible by John Wesley: 1 Peter. https://biblenotes.online/
[10] As followers of Jesus, we’re called to embark on a journey of … https://www.facebook.com/
[11] 2 Peter 1:4 – King James Bible https://www.
[12] Escape the Corruption (II Peter 1:4ff) https://joemckeever.com/wp/
[13] John Wesley – The Highway of Holiness http://holypig.com/cotor/
[14] Compare Translations for 2 Peter 1:4 – The Bible https://www.biblestudytools.
[15] What does 2 Peter 1:4 mean? https://www.bibleref.com/2-
