1 Peter 2
About 1 PeterWritten by AI
First Peter is a letter of hope for believers who are suffering. It names the apostle Peter as its author, writing from Babylon, which most read as a code name for Rome, with help from Silvanus. Traditionally it dates to the early 60s AD, shortly before Peter's death under Nero. Some scholars think it was written later by Peter's followers.
It is addressed to scattered believers in what is now Turkey, many of them likely Gentiles, who felt like strangers and exiles in their own towns. They were not yet facing empire wide persecution, but they faced insult, suspicion, and pressure for not fitting in.
Peter tells them who they are: born again into a living hope, God's chosen people, a royal priesthood. Then he shows how to live as exiles, doing good, following Christ's example in suffering, and trusting God. Watch for the word hope, and for how often Christ's own suffering is the pattern: “By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope.”
Before you read 1 Peter 2Written by AI
Believers are living stones, built on Christ, the cornerstone some rejected. They are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, who once were not a people. As foreigners and exiles, they should live such good lives that others glorify God. Peter tells them to honor the emperor, and addresses servants under harsh masters, pointing to Christ who suffered without retaliating.
The Living Stone and Chosen People
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone,
a chosen and precious cornerstone;
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame.”
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
Submission to Authorities
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
Christ’s Example of Suffering
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
When they heaped abuse on Him,
He did not retaliate;
when He suffered, He made no threats,
but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness.
“By His stripes you are healed.”
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.