Trinitarian bias has influenced translators to render the first verse of the letter of 2 Peter in a way that makes it appear as though Jesus is Almighty God. For example, “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 ESV). However, the verse is more accurately translated as the following five translations render it:

“Through the justice of our God and of our savior Jesus the Anointed” (2 Peter 1:1 Hart)

“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ: To those to whom there has been allotted the same precious faith as that which is ours through the righteousness of our God and of our Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Weymouth).

“Through the righteousness of our God and the savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 NAB margin).

“Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 KJV)

“Through the righteousness of our God and the Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 NRSV margin).

“Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as our own, given through the saving justice of our God and of the Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 NJB margin).

“Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 ASV)

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Webster’s Bible Translation)

“Simon Peter, servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted an equal faith with us in the justice of our God and in our Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Catholic Public Domain Translation)

“Shimeon Petraus, a Servant and an Apostle of Yeshua The Messiah to those who, equal in honor with us, were worthy for the faith by the righteousness of Our Lord and Our Savior Yeshua The Messiah” (2 Peter 1:1 Aramaic Bible In Plain English)

“Simon Peter, the servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those receiving like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Godbey New Testament)

“Simon Peter the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who equally share with us in the advantages of faith, thro’ the veracity of our God, and of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Mace New Testament)

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, in the righteousness of our God, and of our saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1 Worsley New Testament)

Almighty God and Jesus Christ are thus clearly presented as distinct and separate in these thirteen accurate translations. Jesus himself said that he and his Father were “two witnesses” (John 8:17,18 NIV). Notice how this so in the very next verse:

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2 NIV). This verse confirms that the apostle Peter did not think of Jesus Christ as Almighty God, but as an entirely separate and distinct divine person.

Let’s briefly look at Peter’s first letter to confirm how he viewed Jesus Christ:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . he has given us new birth . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3 NIV). “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” indicates that “God the Father” is the God of, or over, Jesus Christ, thus denoting his superiority. Peter obviously did not think that Jesus Christ was God.

“We told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power . . . He received honor and glory from God the Father . . . saying ‘This is my Son” (2 Peter 1:16,17 NIV). Jesus “received honor and glory from God the Father”, and Jesus is called “my Son” by “God the Father”. You can’t receive something from yourself, and, by definition, “Son” and “Father” cannot be the same person.

“Human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God” (2 Peter 1:21 NAB). Trinitarians assert that the holy Spirit is a person. However, the definite article “the” is not the way a person is described. Without the holy Spirit being a person, the Trinity doctrine collapses.

In 2 Peter, where God and Jesus are mentioned together, they are clearly separate and distinct, which ‘demolishes’ the Trinity ‘stronghold’ (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV).