This verse is related to Jude 17, with the difference that Jude refers only to Jesus Christ and the apostles, whereas here the prophets are mentioned as well. Furthermore Jude mentions only one warning, whereas here every prophecy and teaching seems to be included as long as it has a bearing on the second coming of Christ.
Remember is an infinitive in the Greek and is related to “reminder” in verse 1. In many translations remember is treated as the main verb of a complete sentence, as in New English Bible “Remember the predictions…,” and Good News Translation also restructures to a complete sentence, “I want you to remember…”; it may also be expressed as “I want you to bring to your mind.” This results in sentences that are not only shorter but also much easier to understand. What the readers are to remember are the predictions (Good News Translation “the words”) spoken in the past by the holy prophets as well as the commandment of the Lord and Savior that came to them through the apostles.
Predictions of the holy prophets recalls 1.21. Predictions is the same word as in Jude 17, where it is translated by Good News Translation as “what you were told.” Prophets are people who proclaim a message that they receive from God; the prophets referred to here are most likely Old Testament prophets rather than Christian prophets. See also the comments on 2.1. Holy in this context does not refer to moral or ethical virtue but to the relationship of the prophets to God, that is, their dedication to him and their consecration as people who speak for God (note New English Bible “God’s own prophets”). In certain languages this phrase will be rendered as “devoted people who spoke God’s message,” or “God’s special people who spoke his message,” or even “God’s specially appointed spokesmen.” Predictions is literally “words spoken before,” and this refers back to the time of the Old Testament, hence Good News Translation “long ago.” In the present context predictions refers to Old Testament prophecies and predictions about false teachings and godless actions, although no particular Old Testament reference is pointed out.
Commandment is singular and may refer to one command; it is more likely, however, that it is intended here to refer generally to the teachings of the Lord as a whole, with emphasis on their ethical and moral aspects. For further discussion see comments on 2.21 above. Lord and Savior clearly refer to Jesus Christ, and if necessary this information can be included in the translation. For Lord and Savior see 1.1, 2, 11.
The phrase through your apostles presents some problems. The Greek text is in the genitive case and can be translated literally as “of your apostles.” This understanding is reflected in King James Version “the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.” Most modern translations, however, take the genitive here to mean “through,” in which case the apostles are understood as the instruments and vehicles of the Lord’s message. The use of the pronoun your may be a way of speaking of the apostles as a group actively functioning when the letter was written, since at that time they were recognized as the ones mainly responsible for transmitting the Christian message to various parts of the world. It is more likely, however, that what is meant here is the messengers who at a much earlier time first brought the Christian message to the communities the letter is addressed to, and who founded the churches there. Included in this list is the apostle Paul (verse 15). For apostle see comments on 1.1.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• I want to bring to your mind the words that God’s own prophets spoke long ago, and the command of our Lord and Savior that he caused your apostles to speak.
If translators wish to follow Revised Standard Version and join verses 1 and 2 together, we may translate:
• My dear Friends! This is now the second letter I have written to you. In both letters I have tried to cause you to think pure thoughts, by bringing to your minds what God’s own prophets spoke long ago and the commandment of our Lord and Savior that he caused your apostles to speak.
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Second Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .