Chapter 1
Salutation[a]
To the Faithful in the Dispersion. 1 Peter,[b] an apostle of Jesus Christ, to all the exiles of the Dispersion who are now living in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 chosen[c] in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.
The Privileges and Responsibilities of Salvation[d]
The Song of the New Life.[e] 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you 5 who because of your faith are being protected by God’s power until the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.[f]
6 This is a reason for you to rejoice, even if now for a little while you must suffer trials of many kinds. 7 Thus, the genuine quality of your faith—which is more valuable than gold that is perishable even if it has been tested by fire—may be proved worthy of praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with a joy that is indescribable and glorious. 9 For you are achieving the goal of your faith, that is, the salvation of your souls.
10 This salvation was the subject of intense scrutiny and investigation by the Prophets[g] who spoke about the grace that you were to receive. 11 They were searching out the time and the circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ[h] within them was pointing when it testified in advance to the sufferings that Christ would endure and the glories that would then follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you when they spoke of the things that have now been announced to you through those who proclaimed the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of such things.
13 Convictions for Living.[i] Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Be calm and fix your hopes completely on the grace that you will be granted at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 Like obedient children, do not yield to the evil desires you had in your former ignorance. 15 He who called you is holy. Therefore, be holy yourselves in all your conduct. 16 For Scripture says, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 If you address as Father the one who judges everyone impartially on the basis of each person’s deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile here. 18 For you are aware that you were ransomed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ,[j] a lamb without blemish or defect.
20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world, but in this final age he has been revealed for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and your hope are fixed on God.
22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to truth so that you have genuine love for your brethren, love one another intensely with all your heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.[k] 24 For:
All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, and the flower fades,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.
It is this word that has been proclaimed to you.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 1:1 Christians regarded themselves as the true Israel and made use of the term Dispersion, which designated the Jews who had been dispersed and awaited the reunion of their people (see Jas 1:1). By divine choice, they are the New Covenant, evoked by the mention of the Blood of Christ (see Ex 24:3-8; Heb 9:12-14). Related to the three divine Persons, the Church is born of the Trinity. This is an extremely dense salutation.
- 1 Peter 1:1 Peter: see notes on Mt 16:18; 16:19; Jn 1:42. Apostle: see notes on Mk 6:30; Rom 1:1; Heb 3:1-6. Exiles: literally, “strangers” or “pilgrims,” because the homeland and inheritance of the children of God are in heaven (see 1 Chr 29:15; Ps 39:13; Heb 13:14). Living in Pontus . . . Bithynia: Jewish and Gentile Christians living in Asia Minor.
- 1 Peter 1:2 Chosen: see note on Eph 1:3—3:21. Father . . . Spirit . . . Jesus Christ: all three persons of the Trinity are involved in the redemption of the Elect. To be sprinkled with his blood: in the Old Testament, the blood of a sacrificial animal was sprinkled on the altar and the benefit of the sacrifice descended on the offerer. The sprinkled blood of Christ brings us these benefits: (1) justification (see Rom 5:19); (2) sealing with God’s Covenant promise represented for us in the Eucharist (see Lk 22:20); (3) cleansing of all sin (see 1 Jn 1:7); and (4) empowerment to become citizens of the Kingdom of heaven (see Heb 10:19).
- 1 Peter 1:3 The author stresses the privileges and responsibilities that come with salvation (the Greek word means “deliverance” or “preservation”). Salvation was prophesied in the past and achieved by God in Christ, and it calls for a life of holiness and love on the part of Christians, including the true worship of God, for they are a “nation of priests.”
- 1 Peter 1:3 Adversity can do nothing in the face of the joyous certitude of believers. May they relive the fundamental experience of faith described in this grand praise. In Christ, the mercy of God gives human beings an inviolable faith that has no common measure with all human projects. The rebirth of Baptism opens another life and another history; a promise of salvation is on the way to being fulfilled. How then can Christ’s personal love fail to take hold of hearts? The plan of God is not a theory but a reality in the life of each person. Today, the goal toward which all the expectations of the Prophets were directed, has become a reality and it brings about the joy of angels.
In this great passage of praise the fundamental experience of faith is described. - 1 Peter 1:5 The end of time: i.e., the time of salvation, which is close at hand in the sense that it is certain; the glorious coming of Christ is the only really new thing to be awaited.
- 1 Peter 1:10 This salvation was the subject of intense scrutiny and investigation by the Prophets: the inspiration of the Prophets is attributed to the universal effectiveness of Christ, which works retroactively. The unity of the two Testaments is here highlighted.
- 1 Peter 1:11 The Spirit of Christ: the Holy Spirit is called thus because Christ sent him (see Jn 16:7) and ministered through him (see Lk 4:14, 18). The sufferings that Christ would endure and the glories: this is a theme found throughout the Bible (see Ps 22; Isa 52:13—53:12; Zec 9:9f; 13:7; Mt 16:21-23; 17:22; 20:19; Lk 24:26, 46; Jn 2:19; Acts 3:17-22; 4:12-16; 5:1, 4, 9f). Those who are united with Christ in everything, including suffering, will also be united with him in glory. And in the midst of their present sufferings they will benefit from the fact that he has already entered into his glory (see 1 Pet 2:3, 8, 21; 3:21f).
- 1 Peter 1:13 An existence given over to passions and inclinations is without meaning or real purpose. But Christians are delivered from insignificance; it is God who becomes their reason for living and its accomplishment. This is translated by a profound reversal of sentiments and behavior. Believers have a sense of God and his holiness, and they bear something of God’s absoluteness in their existence. A life saved by the gift of Christ is an Easter. From then on, fraternal love becomes the goal. Thus, the Christian life is something new, a new birth, and a new destiny. It is developed by coming to maturity in one’s reflection upon the word of God.
- 1 Peter 1:19 Ransomed . . . with the precious blood of Christ: i.e., bought back or redeemed in the way laid out in the Scriptures (see Ex 13:13; 21:30). Our need for being ransomed comes from our bondage to Satan and sin (see Jn 8:34; Rom 6:17, 23). Jesus has bought our freedom by paying not silver or gold but his own blood (see Eph 1:7; Rev 5:9), i.e., his Death (see Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45; Heb 9:15) or Christ himself (see Gal 3:13).
- 1 Peter 1:23 Born anew . . . through the . . . word of God: the Christian’s new birth results from the action of the Holy Spirit (see Tit 3:5), but the word of God also plays an important part therein (see Jas 1:18). The latter presents the Gospel to us and summons us to repent and believe in Christ (see v. 25). The living and enduring word of God: another possible translation is: “the word of the living and enduring God.”