1 Peter chapter 1
Peter greets his readers. We are were born again to a living hope. We are called to be holy. Our lives are all about Jesus Christ.
GREETING
VERSE 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
the chosen ones. What a nice title for Christian believers. It is rendered “God’s chosen people” in the NLT translation and “the chosen sojourners” in the NAB translation.
foreigners in the Dispersion. These are Jewish Christians who were scattered outside of Palestine due to the persecution of Christians. James described them like this:
James 1:1. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. There were Roman provinces in what is now Turkey.
VERSE 2. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
God the Father … Spirit … Jesus Christ. Where is the Holy Trinity defined or alluded to in the New Testament? Here are the verses we found.
foreknowledge of God the Father. God knew us and chose us, long ago. This probably infers a choice even before the creation of the time-space continuum. Some Christians refer to this as “predestination.”
sanctification. We are holy, not because of our own good works, but thanks instead to the Holy Spirit.
sprinkled with his blood. This is a very important point in soteriology (the study of how we are saved). We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace be multiplied. That is, “May God give you more and more grace and peace” (NLT translation). Who wouldn’t want that?
We are to keep growing.
BORN AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE
VERSE 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
caused us to be born again. Believing in Lord Jesus Christ gives us a new birth. We are born a second time. We are born again. Read more »
a living hope. We live with great expectation. There is much more in store.
VERSE 4. to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
incorruptible and undefiled inheritance. Faith in Jesus Christ is a priceless inheritance.
VERSE 5. who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
VERSE 6. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials,
you greatly rejoice. That is, “So you are truly glad.”
VERSE 7. that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
the proof of your faith. We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
result in praise. This is a Christian interpretation of the meaning of human suffering.
VERSE 8. whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,
not having known, you love. This is the gist of the Christian faith. It is not a religion. It is not a collection of moral imperatives. It is not a set of teachings. Rather, it is a love-relationship with Jesus Christ.
VERSE 9. receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
the salvation of your souls. This is “the” question we need to ask non-Christians. WIll you trust Jesus Christ?
VERSE 10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently. They prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
grace that would come to you. We are very blessed to see what our eyes see.
VERSE 11. searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.
VERSE 12. To them it was revealed, that they served not to themselves, but to you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
CALLED TO BE HOLY
VERSE 13. Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
VERSE 14. as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
VERSE 15. but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
VERSE 16. because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”
The LORD God is holy. He calls us to be holy. Holy people apply themselves, and all their actions, to God. They imitate the LORD God. Read more »
VERSE 17. If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear,
OUR LIVES ARE ALL ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
SUMMARY: In the end, it’s all about Jesus. Getting that point down is vital, not only for discipleship, but also for ministry. How do we become holy?
VERSE 18. knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the First Letter of Peter and from the entire Bible.
you were redeemed. They were holy, thanks to Jesus Christ. It was the precious blood of Jesus Christ. He is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God who suffered and died for them.
Our holiness is not our own. You might be from a great family; you might have been born into a wonderful religion; you might have money; and you might even fulfill the requirements of your own religious tradition.
But in the final analysis, the only thing that really counts is Jesus Christ.
People cannot be redeemed with money. The ransom for a life is costly. No payment is ever enough. Read more »
handed down from your fathers. Some Christians talk about “generational curses.” That means the sins of your ancestors were handed down to you. it might mean a whole host of problems.
Generational curses need not haunt the Christian believer. Deliverance is possible.
VERSE 19. but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ,
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the First Letter of Peter and from the entire Bible.
with precious blood. How do they become holy? What makes them holy before God?
- It wasn’t their ancestral lineage
- It wasn’t that they were born into the right religion
- It wasn’t money
- It wasn’t their religious duties
People cannot be redeemed with money. The ransom for a life is costly. No payment is ever enough. Read more »
VERSE 20. who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake,
VERSE 21. who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.
VERSE 22. Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,
sincere brotherly affection. Some manuscripts read “with a pure heart.”
VERSE 23. having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
Believing in Lord Jesus Christ gives us a new birth. We are born a second time. We are born again. Read more »
VERSE 24. For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the First Letter of Peter and from the entire Bible.
NIV translation. For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall.
Isaiah 40:6. The voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.
VERSE 25. but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the First Letter of Peter and from the entire Bible.
the Lord’s word endures forever. When we invest our time in the Bible, we are investing it in something that will last forever!
Isaiah 40:8. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
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1 PETER
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.