# these things

This refers to faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love, which Peter mentioned in the previous verses.

# they will keep you from being barren or unfruitful

Peter speaks of these qualities as if they were people who could change his readers, and he speaks of his readers as if they were cattle or a food crop. This can be translated using the opposites of "barren" and "unfruitful." Alternate translation: "because you have them you will not be barren or unfruitful" or "they will enable you to do much valuable work" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublenegatives]])

# barren or unfruitful

A "barren" animal is one that cannot bear offspring, and an "unfruitful" plant is one that cannot bear food. These are metaphors that describe people who do not do valuable work. If your language has only one word for these two ideas, you can treat them as a doublet and combine them. Alternate translation: "unproductive" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet]])

# in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

You can translate "knowledge" using a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: "through your knowing God and Jesus our Lord" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns]])

