1 This letter comes from Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, and is sent to God's chosen people: exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2 You were chosen by God the Father in his wisdom, made holy by the Spirit, so that you might obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. May you have grace and peace more and more! 3 Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through his great mercy we have been born again and given a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 4 This inheritance is eternal, it never spoils or fades, and it is kept safe in heaven for you. 5 Through your trust in him, God will protect you by his power until salvation arrives—the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the last day. 6 So be glad about this, even though you may be sad for a short while as you endure various trials. 7 These prove that your trust in God is genuine, just as fire is used to prove if gold is genuine—even though that too can be destroyed—and your faith is more valuable than gold! In this way your trust in God will be recognized and you will receive praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ appears. 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you cannot see him now, you trust in him and you're filled with wonderful, indescribable happiness. 9 Your reward for trusting in him is that you will be saved! 10 It was this salvation that the prophets searched for and investigated when they spoke of the grace that was prepared for you. 11 They tried to find out when and how this would take place, for the Spirit of Christ inside them spoke clearly about Christ's sufferings and glory to come. 12 It was explained to them that they were not doing this for themselves, but for you—since what they spoke about you've now learned from those who shared the good news with you by the Holy Spirit that heaven sent. Even the angels are eager to find out about all this! 13 Make sure your minds are in gear. Be clear-headed. Fix your hope exclusively on the grace you'll be given when Jesus is revealed. 14 Live like children who do what they're told. Don't allow yourselves to be shaped by your former sinful desires when you didn't know any better. 15 Now you need to be holy in everything you do, just as the one who called you is holy. 16 As Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.” 17 Since you call him Father, and recognize he judges everyone impartially based on what they do, take your time here on earth seriously, respecting him. 18 You already know that you were not set free from your pointless way of living that you inherited from your forefathers by things that don't have lasting value, like silver or gold. 19 You were set free by the costly blood of Christ, who was like a lamb with no flaw or defect. 20 He was chosen before the world was created, but he was revealed in these last days for your benefit. 21 Through him you trust in God who raised him from the dead, and glorified him, so that you could have confidence and hope in God. 22 Now that you've dedicated yourselves by following the truth, love each other sincerely like a true family. 23 You've been born again, not the product of a mortal “seed,” but immortal, through the living, eternal word of God. 24 For: “All people are like grass, and all their glory like wildflowers. The grass withers and the flowers fall. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” This word is the good news that was explained to you.
1 Peter 1 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 James 1:1; Acts 2:5–11; Hebrews 11:13; Ephesians 2:19; 1 Peter 2:11
- 2 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Ephesians 1:4–5; Hebrews 12:24; 1 Peter 1:22; Romans 11:2
- 3 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 5:4; Romans 15:13; Titus 3:4–6; Ephesians 1:7
- 4 Revelation 21:27; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 25:34
- 5 Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 8:31–39; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; John 10:28–30
- 6 James 1:2; 1 Peter 5:10; Romans 12:12; Romans 5:2; Matthew 5:12
- 7 Job 23:10; James 1:12; Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 4:12; James 1:3–4
- 8 John 20:29; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 15:13; Hebrews 11:1; John 16:22
- 9 Romans 6:22; James 1:21; Hebrews 11:13
- 10 Matthew 13:17; Luke 10:24; Daniel 2:44; Luke 24:25–27; John 5:39
- 11 2 Peter 1:21; Isaiah 52:13–14; Luke 24:25–27; Romans 8:9; Acts 26:22–23
- 12 John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:25; Hebrews 11:39–40
- 13 1 Peter 5:8; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 4:7; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 3:15
- 14 Romans 12:2; Titus 3:3–5; 1 Peter 4:2–3; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:5
- 15 Matthew 5:48; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; James 3:13; Ephesians 5:1–2
- 16 Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7
- 17 Acts 10:34–35; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Philippians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Matthew 6:9
- 18 1 Corinthians 6:20; Titus 2:14; Psalm 49:7–8; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Galatians 1:4
- 19 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 2:22–24; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:12–14; Revelation 5:9
- 20 Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9–10; Hebrews 9:26; Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 1:2
- 21 Acts 2:24; John 12:44; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 7:25; Acts 2:32–33
- 22 1 Timothy 1:5; Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:9–10; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 John 4:12
- 23 1 Peter 1:3; Hebrews 4:12; John 1:13; John 6:63; John 3:3
- 24 Isaiah 40:6–8; Psalm 103:15; James 4:14; James 1:10–11; Psalm 37:2
- 25 Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; Psalm 119:89; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; 1 John 1:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] "whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave." "In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;" into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that "by grace ye are saved, not …
Admirable sophists, and explorers of the sublimities of the unknown Father, and rehearsers of those super-celestial mysteries "which the angels desire to look into!" --that they may learn that from the Nous of that Father who is above all, the Word was produced blind, that is, ignorant of the Father who produced him!
… God destroy." "Let no man deceive himself." But perhaps a man will say, "My soul is the temple of God, not my body," and will add this testimony also, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass." Unhappy interpretation!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For if we call on Him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, let us pass the time of our sojourning here in fear, loving not the world, neither the things that are in the world: for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
"Wherefore, girding up your loins," "serve the Lord in fear" and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory," and a throne at His right hand.