1 Peter1
New Living Translation
1This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
2God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
4and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
5And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
7These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
9The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
10This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.
11They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
12They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
13So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.
15But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
16For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
17And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
18For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.
19It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
20God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.
21Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
23For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
24As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
25But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Peter 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The apostle blesses God for his special benefits through Christ. (1–9). Salvation by Christ foretold in ancient prophecy. (10–12). All are exhorted to holy conversation. (13–16). Such as is suitable to their principles, privileges, and obligations. (17–25).
vv1-9
This epistle is addressed to believers in general, who are strangers in every city or country where they live, and are scattered through the nations. These are to ascribe their salvation to the electing love of the Father, the redemption of the Son, and the sanctification of the Holy Ghost; and so to give glory to one God in three Persons, into whose name they had been baptized. Hope, in the world's phrase, refers only to an uncertain good, for all worldly hopes are tottering, built upon sand, and the worldling's hopes of heaven are blind and groundless conjectures. But the hope of the sons of the living God is a living hope; not only as to its object, but as to its effect also. It enlivens and comforts in all distresses, enables to meet and get over all difficulties. Mercy is the spring of all this; yea, great mercy and manifold mercy. And this well-grounded hope of salvation, is an active and living principle of obedience in the soul of the believer. The matter of a Christian's joy, is the remembrance of the happiness laid up for him. It is incorruptible, it cannot come to nothing, it is an estate that cannot be spent. Also undefiled; this signifies its purity and perfection. And it fadeth not; is not sometimes more or less pleasant, but ever the same, still like itself. All possessions here are stained with defects and failings; still something is wanting: fair houses have sad cares flying about the gilded and ceiled roofs; soft beds and full tables, are often with sick bodies and uneasy stomachs. All possessions are stained with sin, either in getting or in using them. How ready we are to turn the things we possess into occasions and instruments of sin, and to think there is no liberty or delight in their use, without abusing them! Worldly possessions are uncertain and soon pass away, like the flowers and plants of the field. That must be of the greatest worth, which is laid up in the highest and best place, in heaven. Happy are those whose hearts the Holy Spirit sets on this inheritance. God not only gives his people grace, but preserves them unto glory. Every believer has always something wherein he may greatly rejoice; it should show itself in the countenance and conduct. The Lord does not willingly afflict, yet his wise love often appoints sharp trials, to show his people their hearts, and to do them good at the latter end. Gold does not increase by trial in the fire, it becomes less; but faith is made firm, and multiplied, by troubles and afflictions. Gold must perish at last, and can only purchase perishing things, while the trial of faith will be found to praise, and honour, and glory. Let this reconcile us to present afflictions. Seek then to believe Christ's excellence in himself, and his love to us; this will kindle such a fire in the heart as will make it rise up in a sacrifice of love to him. And the glory of God and our own happiness are so united, that if we sincerely seek the one now, we shall attain the other when the soul shall no more be subject to evil. The certainty of this hope is as if believers had already received it.
vv10-12
Jesus Christ was the main subject of the prophets' studies. Their inquiry into the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow, would lead to a view of the whole gospel, the sum whereof is, That Christ Jesus was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. God is pleased to answer our necessities rather than our requests. The doctrine of the prophets, and that of the apostles, exactly agree, as coming from the same Spirit of God. The gospel is the ministration of the Spirit; its success depends upon his operation and blessing. Let us then search diligently those Scriptures which contain the doctrines of salvation.
vv13-16
As the traveller, the racer, the warrior, and the labourer, gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in their business, so let Christians do by their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behaviour. Be sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves. A strong and perfect trust in the grace of God, is agreeable with best endeavours in our duty. Holiness is the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition, and towards all people. We must especially watch and pray against the sins to which we are inclined. The written word of God is the surest rule of a Christian's life, and by this rule we are commanded to be holy every way. God makes those holy whom he saves.
Key Words
Πέτρος (Pétros): a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037 (λίθος)); as a name, Petrus, an apostle
ἀπόστολος (apóstolos): a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers)
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
Χριστός (Christós): anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
παρεπίδημος (parepídēmos): an alien alongside, i.e. a resident foreigner
διασπορά (diasporá): dispersion, i.e. (specially and concretely) the (converted) Israelite resident in Gentile countries
Πόντος (Póntos): a sea; Pontus, a region of Asia Minor
Γαλατία (Galatía): Galatia, a region of Asia
Καππαδοκία (Kappadokía): Cappadocia, a region of Asia Minor
Ἀσία (Asía): Asia, i.e. Asia Minor, or (usually) only its western shore
Cross References
1 Peter 1Direct Old Testament quotation: 'Be ye holy; for I am holy,' reinforcing God's call to holiness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct Old Testament quotation; repeating the foundational commandment of personal holiness under the Law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct Old Testament quotation comparing human frailty (grass) with the enduring word of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The premier prophetic text foretelling the 'sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms the prophets spoke by the 'Spirit of Christ' (the Holy Ghost) driving their messianic witness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Alludes to eating the Passover with loins girded; signals readiness for spiritual pilgrimage.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels Christ's blood as a lamb 'without blemish' and spot offering perfect spiritual purification.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Echoes the pattern of Christ's sufferings followed by the glory given to Him by God.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel theological concept of being born again by the word of truth as incorruptible seed.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Underlies the covenant ritual of 'sprinkling of the blood,' now fulfilled in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicates the theological link between God's 'foreknowledge' and being conformed to Christ's image.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Pronounces blessing on those who, like Peter's readers, have not seen Christ yet believe.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Details the 'former lusts in your ignorance' that the believers must abandon.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes being chosen/foreordained before the foundation of the world for holiness and election.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Links being 'born again' here to the 'begotten again' unto a lively hope in verse 3.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus explicitly defines the seed of spiritual regeneration as the word of God.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Verbal echo of the rich man fading away like the flower of the grass.
Supported by JFB
Addresses the 'scattered' believers (dispersion) using the same distinct terminology.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Links God's foreknowledge and determinate counsel to the unfolding of redemptive history.
Supported by JFB
The Old Testament metaphor of God testing and refining His people like silver/gold.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies Christ directly as the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away sin.
Supported by JFB
The Passover lamb requirement of being 'without blemish' prefigures Christ's perfect spotlessness.
Supported by JFB
Focuses on God as the agent who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Links 'obeying the truth' with the 'obedience' of believers mentioned in the greeting.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects regeneration and faith to hearing the preached word of God.
Supported by John Calvin
Identifies the eternal, abiding word specifically with the gospel message preached to them.
Supported by JFB