1 Peter 1:1--2:17

Salutation

1:1 From Peter, ¹  an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing ²  abroad ³  (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, ⁴  and Bithynia) who are chosen ⁵  1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling ⁶  with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure! ⁷ 

New Birth to Joy and Holiness

1:3 Blessed be ⁸  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1:4 that is, ⁹  into ¹⁰  an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 1:5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1:6 This brings you great joy, ¹¹  although you may have to suffer ¹²  for a short time in various trials. 1:7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, ¹³  which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away ¹⁴  – and will bring praise ¹⁵  and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ¹⁶  1:8 You ¹⁷  have not seen him, but you love him. You ¹⁸  do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice ¹⁹  with an indescribable and glorious ²⁰  joy, 1:9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.

1:10 Concerning this salvation, ²¹  the prophets ²²  who predicted the grace that would come to you ²³  searched and investigated carefully. 1:11 They probed ²⁴  into what person or time ²⁵  the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ ²⁶  and his subsequent glory. ²⁷  1:12 They were shown ²⁸  that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

1:13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action ²⁹  by being fully sober, and set your hope ³⁰  completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ³¹  1:14 Like obedient children, do not comply with ³²  the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, ³³  1:15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 1:16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” ³⁴  1:17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here ³⁵  in reverence. 1:18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold, 1:19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 1:20 He was foreknown ³⁶  before the foundation of the world but ³⁷  was manifested in these last times ³⁸  for your sake. 1:21 Through him you now trust ³⁹  in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1:22 You have purified ⁴⁰  your souls by obeying the truth ⁴¹  in order to show sincere mutual love. ⁴²  So ⁴³  love one another earnestly from a pure heart. ⁴⁴  1:23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 1:24 For

all flesh ⁴⁵  is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of the grass; ⁴⁶ 

the grass withers and the flower falls off,

1:25 but the word of the Lord ⁴⁷  endures forever. ⁴⁸ 

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

2:1 So get rid of ⁴⁹  all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2:2 And ⁵⁰  yearn ⁵¹  like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, ⁵²  so that by it you may grow up to ⁵³  salvation, ⁵⁴  2:3 if you have experienced ⁵⁵  the Lord’s kindness. ⁵⁶ 

A Living Stone, a Chosen People

2:4 So as you come to him, ⁵⁷  a living stone rejected by men but ⁵⁸  chosen and priceless ⁵⁹  in God’s sight, 2:5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer ⁶⁰  spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 2:6 For it says ⁶¹  in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, ⁶²  and whoever believes ⁶³  in him ⁶⁴  will never ⁶⁵  be put to shame.” ⁶⁶  2:7 So you who believe see ⁶⁷  his value, ⁶⁸  but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the ⁶⁹  cornerstone, ⁷⁰  2:8 and a stumbling-stone ⁷¹  and a rock to trip over. ⁷²  They stumble ⁷³  because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ⁷⁴  2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues ⁷⁵  of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 2:10 You ⁷⁶  once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, ⁷⁷  but now you have received mercy.

2:11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 2:12 and maintain good conduct ⁷⁸  among the non-Christians, ⁷⁹  so that though ⁸⁰  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ⁸¹ 

Submission to Authorities

2:13 Be subject to every human institution ⁸²  for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 2:14 or to governors as those he commissions ⁸³  to punish wrongdoers and praise ⁸⁴  those who do good. 2:15 For God wants you ⁸⁵  to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 2:16 Live ⁸⁶  as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. ⁸⁷  2:17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, ⁸⁸  fear God, honor the king.

[1:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Peter.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ² tn Or “to those living as resident aliens,” “to the exiles.” This term is used metaphorically of Christians who live in this world as foreigners, since their homeland is heaven.

[1:1]  ³ tn Grk “in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles. But here it is probably metaphorical, used of Gentile Christians spread out as God’s people in the midst of a godless world.

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[1:1]  ⁵ tn Or “to the chosen sojourners…” On this reading the phrases in v. 2 describe their entire existence as sojourners, etc., not just their election.

[1:2]  ⁶ sn For obedience and for sprinkling indicates the purpose of their choice or election by God.

[1:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “be multiplied to you.”

[1:3]  ¹¹ tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (euloghtos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. Two factors of the author’s style come into play. At this point the author is describing the reality of believers’ salvation and will soon explain believers’ necessary response; this is in emulation of Pauline style which generally follows the same logical order (although the author here discusses the reality in a much more compressed fashion). On the other hand, when imitating the Pauline greeting, which is normally verbless, the author inserts the optative (see v. 2 above). When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the fact that the author in the immediate context has used the optative when imitating a Pauline stylized statement would argue for the optative here. The translation uses the term “blessed” in the sense “worthy of praise” as this is in keeping with the traditional translation of berakah psalms. Cf. also 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3.

[1:4]  ¹⁶ tn The phrase “that is” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the imperishable inheritance is in apposition to the living hope of v. 3.

[1:4]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “into,” continuing the description of v. 3 without an “and.”

[1:6]  ²¹ tn Grk “in which you exult.”

[1:6]  ²² tc ‡ The oldest and best witnesses lack the verb (א* B, along with 1505 pc), but most mss (Ì⁷² א² A C P Ψ 048 33 1739 Ï) have ἐστίν here (estin, “[if] it is [necessary]”). The verb looks to be an explanatory gloss. But if no verb is present, this opens up the time frame in the author’s mind even more, since the conditional particle for both the first class condition and the fourth class condition is εἰ (ei). That may well be what was on the author’s mind, as evidenced by some of his other allusions to suffering in this little letter (3:14, 17). NA²⁷ has the verb in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[1:7]  ²⁶ tn Or “genuineness,” the result of testing. On the other hand it may denote the process of testing: “that the proving of your faith…may bring praise.”

[1:7]  ²⁷ tn Grk “which is passing away but is tested by fire,” describing gold in a lesser-to-greater comparison with faith’s proven character.

[1:7]  ²⁸ tn Grk “that the testing of your faith…may be found unto praise,” showing the result of the trials mentioned in v. 6.

[1:7]  ²⁹ tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 13).

[1:8]  ³¹ tn Grk “whom not having seen, you love.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:8]  ³² tn Grk “in whom not now seeing…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:8]  ³³ tn Grk “in whom not now seeing but believing, you exult.” The participles have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[1:8]  ³⁴ tn Grk “glorified.”

[1:10]  ³⁶ tn Grk “about which salvation.”

[1:10]  ³⁷ sn Prophets refers to the OT prophets.

[1:10]  ³⁸ tn Grk “who prophesied about the grace that is to/for you.”

[1:11]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “probing.” The participle continues the sentence from v. 10 but has been translated as an indicative for English style.

[1:11]  ⁴² tn Or “time or circumstances,” focusing not on the person but on the timing and circumstances of the fulfillment.

[1:11]  ⁴³ tn Grk “the sufferings unto Christ,” i.e., sufferings directed toward him, what he was destined to suffer.

[1:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “the glories after these things.”

[1:12]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “to whom [pl.] it was revealed.”

[1:13]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “binding up the loins of your mind,” a figure of speech drawn from the Middle Eastern practice of gathering up long robes around the waist to prepare for work or action.

[1:13]  ⁵² tn Grk “having bound up…, being sober, set your hope…”

[1:13]  ⁵³ tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 7).

[1:14]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “do not be conformed to”; Grk “not being conformed to.”

[1:14]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “the former lusts in your ignorance.”

[1:16]  ⁶¹ sn A quotation from Lev 19:2.

[1:17]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “the time of your sojourn,” picturing the Christian’s life in this world as a temporary stay in a foreign country (cf. 1:1).

[1:20]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “who was foreknown,” describing Christ in v. 19. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:20]  ⁷² tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[1:20]  ⁷³ tn Grk “at the last of the times.”

[1:21]  ⁷⁶ tc Although there may be only a slight difference in translation, the term translated as “trust” is the adjective πιστούς (pistous). This is neither as common nor as clear as the verb πιστεύω (pisteuw, “believe, trust”). Consequently, most mss have the present participle πιστεύοντας (pisteuonta"; Ì⁷² א C P Ψ 1739 Ï), or the aorist participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante"; 33 pc), while A B pc vg have the adjective. Thus, πιστούς is to be preferred. In the NT the adjective is routinely taken passively in the sense of “faithful” (BDAG 820 s.v. πιστός 1). That may be part of the force here as well: “you are now faithful to God,” although the primary force in this context seems to be that of trusting. Nevertheless, it is difficult to separate faith from faithfulness in NT descriptions of Christians’ dependence on God.

[1:22]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “having purified,” as the preparation for the love described in the second half of the verse.

[1:22]  ⁸² tc Most later mss (P Ï) have διὰ πνεύματος (dia pneumato", “through the spirit”) after ἀληθείας (ajlhqeia", “truth”), while the words are lacking in a broad spectrum of early and important witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C Ψ 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 al vg sy co). On external grounds, the shorter reading cannot be easily explained if it were not original. The longer reading is clearly secondary, added to show more strongly God’s part in man’s obedience to the truth. But the addition ignores the force that the author gives to “purified” and ruins the balance between v. 22 and v. 23 (for in v. 23 the emphasis is on God’s part; here, on man’s part).

[1:22]  ⁸³ tn Grk “for sincere brotherly love.”

[1:22]  ⁸⁴ tn Verses 22-23 are a single sentence in the Greek text. To improve clarity (and because contemporary English tends to use shorter sentences) these verses have been divided into three sentences in the translation. In addition, “So” has been supplied at the beginning of the second English sentence (v. 22b) to indicate the relationship with the preceding statement.

[1:22]  ⁸⁵ tc A few mss (A B 1852 pc) lack καθαρᾶς (kaqaras, “pure”) and read simply καρδίας (kardias, “from the heart”), but there is excellent ms support (Ì⁷² א* C P Ψ 33 1739 Ï co) for the word. The omission may have been accidental. In the uncial script (kaqaras kardias) an accidental omission could have happened via homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. καθαρᾶς should be considered original.

[1:24]  ⁸⁶ sn Here all flesh is a metaphor for humanity – human beings as both frail and temporary.

[1:24]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “a wildflower.”

[1:25]  ⁹¹ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[1:25]  ⁹² sn A quotation from Isa 40:6, 8.

[2:1]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “put away.”

[2:2]  ¹⁰¹ tn Here “And” has been supplied in the translation to show clearly the connection between vv. 1 and 2.

[2:2]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “getting rid of…yearn for.”

[2:2]  ¹⁰³ tn The word for spiritual in Greek is λογικός (logikos), which is a play on words with the reference in 1:23-25 to the living and enduring word (λόγος, logos) of God, through which they were born anew. This is a subtle indication that the nourishment for their growth must be the word of God.

[2:2]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “in, in regard to.” But the focus of “salvation” here, as in 1:5, 9, is the future deliverance of these who have been born anew and protected by God’s power.

[2:2]  ¹⁰⁵ tc The Byzantine text lacks εἰς σωτηρίαν (ei" swthrian, “to salvation”), while the words are found in the earliest and best witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C K P Ψ 33 81 630 1241 1505 1739 al latt sy co). Not only is the longer reading superior externally, but since the notion of growing up [in]to salvation would have seemed theologically objectionable, it is easy to see why some scribes would omit it.

[2:3]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “have tasted that the Lord is kind.”

[2:3]  ¹⁰⁷ sn A quotation from Ps 34:8.

[2:4]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “to whom coming…you are built up…” as a continuation of the reference to the Lord in v. 3.

[2:4]  ¹¹² tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two phrases more than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:4]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “chosen, priceless.”

[2:5]  ¹¹⁶ tn Grk “unto a holy priesthood to offer.”

[2:6]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “it contains,” “it stands.”

[2:6]  ¹²² tn Grk “chosen, priceless.”

[2:6]  ¹²³ tn Grk “the one who believes.”

[2:6]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk either “in him” or “in it,” but the OT and NT uses personify the stone as the King, the Messiah whom God will establish in Jerusalem.

[2:6]  ¹²⁵ tn The negative (οὐ μή, ou mh) is emphatic: “will certainly not.”

[2:6]  ¹²⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.

[2:7]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “to you who believe is the value,” referring to their perception of the stone in contrast to those who reject (vv. 7b-8). But the expression may also be translated as “to you who believe is this honor,” referring to the lack of shame cited in v. 6b.

[2:7]  ¹²⁷ tn Grk “the value” or “the honor,” but the former is preferred since it comes from the same root as “priceless” in vv. 4, 6, and it is in contrast to the negative estimate of the stone by those who reject (vv. 7b-8).

[2:7]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “the head of the corner.”

[2:7]  ¹²⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 (cf. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11).

[2:8]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” The latter phrase uses the term σκάνδαλον (skandalon), denoting an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger and rejection.

[2:8]  ¹³² sn A quotation from Isa 8:14.

[2:8]  ¹³³ tn Grk “who stumble,” referring to “those who do not believe” in vs. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:8]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “to which they were also destined.”

[2:9]  ¹³⁶ sn This verse contains various allusions and quotations from Exod 19:5-6; 23:22 (LXX); Isa 43:20-21; and Mal 3:17.

[2:10]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “who,” continuing the description of the readers from vs. 9. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:10]  ¹⁴² sn The quotations in v. 10 are from Hos 1:6, 9; 2:23.

[2:12]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “keeping your conduct good.”

[2:12]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

[2:12]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “in order that in what they malign you.”

[2:12]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “when he visits.” Grk “in the day of visitation,” denoting a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs, either for blessing (Luke 1:68, 78; 7:16; 19:44) or for judgment (Isa 10:3; Jer 6:15). This phrase may be a quotation from Isa 10:3, in which case judgment is in view here. But blessing seems to be the point, since part of the motive for good behavior is winning the non-Christian over to the faith (as in 3:1; also apparently in 3:15; cf. Matt 5:16).

[2:13]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “every human being”; Grk “every human creation,” denoting either everything created for mankind (NRSV mg: “every institution ordained for human beings”) or every creature who is human. The meaning of the verb “be subject” and the following context supports the rendering adopted in the text.

[2:14]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “those sent by him.”

[2:14]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “for the punishment…and the praise.”

[2:15]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “because thus it is God’s will.”

[2:16]  ¹⁶⁶ tn There is no main verb in this verse, but it continues the sense of command from v. 13, “be subject…, as free people…not using…but as slaves of God.”

[2:16]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[2:17]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “love the brotherhood.” The Greek term “brotherhood” is used in a broad sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God. BDAG 19 s.v. ἀδελφότης 1 suggests “a fellowship,” but in the present context “love the fellowship of believers” could be taken to mean “love to participate in fellowship with believers,” whereas the present verse suggests the Christian community as a whole, in familial terms, is in view. This same word occurs in 5:9; there it has been translated “brothers and sisters.”