Discovery Box1 Peter 1:1-5
Context1:1 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
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.
[1:1] 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] 8 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] 9 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] 10 tn Grk “into,” continuing the description of v. 3 without an “and.”
