Darby treats “partakers of the divine nature” as real participation in God’s life and moral qualities by new birth and union with Christ, while strongly denying any sharing of God’s essence. Here are key statements.[1][2][3][4][5]
### 1. “Nature is moral in 2 Peter 1:4”
> “*Nature* is **moral in 2 Peter 1:4**, from the force of what is said in the passage. In divine things this is everything, as holiness, love, etc.; **but the point to be insisted on is, that there is more than mere moral effect, though there be this—that Christ is for us a life‑giving Spirit; as born of flesh involves a like nature.**”[1]
### 2. Real communication of life, not essence
In a letter answering questions on 2 Peter 1:4:
> “Does 2 Peter 1:4 mean that we are made **partakers of the divine nature as such? Or does ‘nature’ here mean rather the moral characteristics which, when made His children, we share in common with God?**”[2]
He insists the latter, yet adds that this includes true communication of life:
> “He seems to deny **the real communication of divine life. ‘Christ is my life’: ‘That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’**”[2]
### 3. Koinōnoi vs metochoi
On the Greek terms:
> “*Koinonoi* is really partners in Luke 5, then *metekoi* the fact of taking part… Of course, **we partake of the divine nature in a different manner from God.** … You could not say in 2 Peter 1:4 *metochoi*. It would be becoming partakers in sense, whereas **they have been placed in the position of koinōnoi**, and *metochoi* would really give ground for… that we were to share the divine nature as such.”[3][2]
### 4. Same nature, yet not God
Summarizing the believer’s position:
> “First, **He makes us partakers of the divine nature—the same nature as Himself.** … It is holy, loves, and, as in Christ as a man, obeys. **In a word it is the reproduction as to its nature of Christ’s life.**”[6][7][1]
Darby’s own translation keeps the classic wording:
> “Through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, **that through these ye may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.**” (Darby Translation)[4]
For Darby, then, 2 Peter 1:4 means that believers, by new birth and the indwelling Christ, truly share in God’s holy, loving life (Christ’s own life), but never in the divine essence itself.[5][3][4][1][2]
Sources
[1] Partaker of the Divine Nature: 2 Peter 1:4 – Bible Truth Publishers https://bibletruthpublishers.
[2] Letters of J. N. Darby, 2:106 – STEM Publishing https://www.stempublishing.
[3] Two Greek Words Translated “Partakers;” Life and Eternal Life; Real … https://bibletruthpublishers.
[4] 2 Peter 1:4 – Darby Translation – Bible Gateway https://www.biblegateway.com/
[5] 2 Peter Commentary – John Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament https://www.biblestudytools.
[6] Sovereign Grace In Christ – Plymouth Brethren Writings https://plymouthbrethren.org/
[7] Citations regarding the believer’s two natures – Greg Quail https://biblecentre.org/
[8] The Believers have the Divine Nature – Contending for the Faith https://contendingforthefaith.
[9] The True Path of a Christian – STEM Publishing https://www.stempublishing.
[10] 2 Peter 1:1 – Darby’s Bible Synopsis https://biblehub.com/
[11] 2 Peter 1:4 Commentaries: For by these He has granted to us His … https://biblehub.com/
[12] 2 Peter 1 Bible Commentary – John Darby’s Synopsis | Christianity.com https://www.christianity.com/
[13] are you a recipient of his divine nature??? – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
[14] 2 Peter 1 – Darby’s Synopsis of the New Testament – StudyLight.org https://www.studylight.org/
[15] Doctrine – The “One Body”: The Ground of Gathering – My Brethren https://www.mybrethren.org/
