1 Peter 1 is the first chapter of the First Epistle of Peter in the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

of the Christian

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

. The author identifies himself as "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ", and the epistle is traditionally attributed to

Peter the Apostle ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupation ...

, but some writers argue that it is the work of Peter's followers in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

between the years 70 and 100. After an introductory section, this chapter contains several "general exhortations founded on the blessedness of the Christian state", which continue into

chapter 2 Chapter Two, Chapter 2, or Chapter II may refer to: Film, television, and theatre * ''Chapter Two'' (play), a 1977 play by Neil Simon * ''Chapter Two'' (film), a 1979 adaptation of Neil Simon's play Television episodes * "Chapter 2" (''American H ...

Text

The original text was written in

Koine Greek Koine Greek (; Koine el, ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinè diálektos, the common dialect; ), also known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-reg ...

. This chapter is divided into 25 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are: ;In Greek *

Papyrus 72 Papyrus 72 (𝔓72, '' Papyrus Bodmer VII-VIII'') is the designation used by textual critics of the New Testament to describe portions of the so-called Bodmer Miscellaneous codex, namely the letters of Jude, 1 Peter, and 2 Peter. These books see ...

(3rd/4th century) *

Papyrus 125 Papyrus 125, designated by (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts), is an early copy of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the First Epistle of Peter. Using the study of comparative writing styles (pa ...

(3rd/4th century; extant verses 23–25) *

Codex Vaticanus The Codex Vaticanus ( The Vatican, Bibl. Vat., Vat. gr. 1209), designated by siglum B or 03 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), δ 1 ( von Soden), is a fourth-century Christian manuscript of a Greek Bible, containing the majority of the Greek Old ...

(325–350) *

Codex Sinaiticus The Codex Sinaiticus ( Shelfmark: London, British Library, Add MS 43725), designated by siglum [Aleph] or 01 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts), δ 2 (in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscript ...

(330–360) *

Codex Alexandrinus The Codex Alexandrinus (London, British Library, Royal MS 1. D. V-VIII), designated by the siglum A or 02 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts), δ 4 (in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts), is a manu ...

(400–440) * Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (ca. 450; extant verses 3–25) * Papyrus 74 (7th century; extant verses 1–2,7–8,13,19–20,25) ;In Latin *

León palimpsest The León Palimpsest, designated l or 67 (in the Beuron system), is a 7th-century Latin manuscript pandect of the Christian Bible conserved in the cathedral of León, Spain. The text, written on vellum, is in a fragmentary condition. In some parts ...

(7th century; complete)Bruce M. Metzger, ''The Early Versions of the New Testament'', Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 316.

Old Testament references

* 1 Peter 1:24–25: Isaiah 40:6– 8

Greeting (1:1–2)

Verse 1

:''Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,'' :''To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,'' The specific region named in this verse would cover most of

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

north and west of the

Taurus mountains The Taurus Mountains ( Turkish: ''Toros Dağları'' or ''Toroslar'') are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, separating the Mediterranean coastal region from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğird ...

, which was attested in

Pliny Pliny may refer to: People * Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'') * Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...

's letters to

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

(c. 112 CE) to have a significant number of Christians in towns and countryside of the area.

God's plan of salvation meets believers' every need (1:3–9)

This part contains a form of blessing, which not only praises God, but lays out the main themes of the epistle. Peter follows the pattern of some of Paul's epistles in pouring thanksgiving to God for His blessings, and gives eleven reasons for praising God: # He is the Father of Lord Jesus Christ (verse 3) # He has given new birth (cf. ; verse 3) # the motive for giving the new birth is his mercy (verse 3) # the result of the mercy is a living hope (verse 3) # the means to this hope is the

resurrection of Jesus The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lo ...

(verse 3) # the object of this hope is an inheritance (verse 4) # this inheritance cannot be destroyed by hostile elements nor defiled by outside pollution, and cannot fade by wasting from within (verse 4) # this inheritance is kept in heaven for the believers (verse 4) # the believers are shielded ("garrisoned") for the inheritance by the power of God (verse 5) # the means of the shielding is faith (cf. ) to hold on to the promises of God (verse 5) # the final goal is a salvation to be revealed by God in the last time, when Jesus is revealed (verse 5, 7).

How the salvation was made known to the believers (1:10–12)

The salvation is made known by the work of the Holy Spirit (verse 12), which is the Spirit of Christ (verse 10), who led the prophets to foretell ''the grace that was to come'' (verse 10), even to foresee ''the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow'' (verse 11; cf. ; ;

Isaiah 53 Isaiah 53 is the fifty-third chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah and is one of the Nevi'im. Chapters 40 through 55 a ...

; ), but not to find out when and how that would happen.

Redemption into the Christ Group (1:13–21)

The addressees are said to be set apart for God from the surrounding culture, into the holiness.

Verse 16

:''because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy".'' Citing: ; ;

Rebirth through the Word (1:22–2:3)

Those who have undergone rebirth could be described as 'newborn infants' ( 1 Peter 2:2), entering the new community of redeemed people of God constituted by the word or the good news of God.

Verses 24–25

:''For'' ::''All flesh is as grass,'' :::''and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.'' ::''The grass withers, and its flower falls away,'' :::''but the word of the Lord endures forever."'' :''This is the word that was preached to you.'' Citing: Isaiah 40:6– 8.Note on 1 Peter 1:25 in MEV

References

Sources

* * *

External links

* King James Bible - Wikisource
English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate''Online Bible'' at GospelHall.org
(ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
Multiple bible versions at ''Bible Gateway''
(NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.) {{First Epistle of Peter 01