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1 Peter 2

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Put Off Sin, Desire the Word 1–3

1
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, ​
2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ​
3
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Christ the Living Cornerstone 4–10

4
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ​
5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ​
6
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ​
7
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ​
9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ​
10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ​

Live as Strangers and Pilgrims 11–12

11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; ​
12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. ​

Submission to Civil Authorities 13–17

13
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; ​
14
Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: ​
16
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. ​
17
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. ​

Christ's Example in Unjust Suffering 18–25

18
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. ​
19
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. ​
20
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ​
22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ​
23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: ​
24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. ​
25
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Peter 2

Verse 1

laying aside all malice — Apotithemi, to put off, as a garment (Col 3:8, 'put off all these'). Five sins follow: kakia (malice), dolos (guile), hypokrisis, phthonos (envy) and katalalia (defamation). Guile is the word used of Christ in v.22; compare Eph 4:31.

Verse 2

newborn babes — Artigennetos means just born, and brephos an infant. 'Sincere' is adolos, without guile, the opposite of the dolos of v.1; 'of the word' is logikos. Milk is the first food, as in 1 Cor 3:2 and Heb 5:13, and its purpose is stated: 'that ye may grow thereby'.

Verse 4

a living stone — Lithos zon. 'Disallowed' is apodokimazo, to reject after testing: the builders' verdict of Ps 118:22 (Luke 20:17). Against it stand 'chosen' (eklektos) and 'precious' (entimos), words taken up from Isa 28:16 in v.6. 'Coming' is proserchomai, to approach.

Verse 5

lively stones — 'Lively' is zao, living, the word of v.4: those who come to the living stone share his life. A 'holy priesthood' (hierateuma) is named again in v.9 as 'royal'. 'To offer up' is anaphero, the verb rendered 'bare' in v.24, where Christ is the offering.

Verse 6

a chief corner stone — Akrogoniaios, the stone at the corner. The verse quotes Isa 28:16, where the LORD lays it 'in Zion'. 'Confounded' is kataischuno, to put to shame; Paul quotes the same promise as 'shall not be ashamed' (Rom 9:33).

Verse 8

a stone of stumbling — Proskomma and skandalon (a snare), from Isa 8:14, quoted with Isa 28:16 in Rom 9:32–33. 'Stumble' is proskopto. The stone of Ps 118:22 (v.7) is the same one: the builders' rejection of it is their stumbling. 'Appointed' is tithemi, set.

Verse 9

a royal priesthood — Language given to Israel at Sinai, 'a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation' (Ex 19:6), now spoken of the church. 'Peculiar' is peripoiesis, a possession acquired; 'praises' is arete, excellences; 'shew forth' is exangello, to publish abroad.

Verse 10

not a people — The lines gather Hosea's names: 'ye are not my people' (Hos 1:9) and 'I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy' (Hos 2:23). Paul applies them to those called from the Gentiles as well as the Jews (Rom 9:25–26).

Verse 11

strangers and pilgrims — Paroikos, a resident alien, and parepidemos, a sojourner. Israel's own confession was 'we are strangers before thee, and sojourners' (1 Chr 29:15); Heb 11:13 says the same of the faithful. 'War' is strateuomai, to serve as a soldier: fleshly lusts campaign against the soul.

Verse 12

your conversation honest — Anastrophe is behaviour, and 'honest' is kalos, fair or good. 'Evildoers' is kakopoios, as in v.14. The good works are seen, as in Matt 5:16, 'that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father'. 'Visitation' is episkope, an inspection.

Verse 13

every ordinance of man — Ktisis, literally a 'creation' or institution, with anthropinos, human. 'Submit' is hypotasso, to set oneself under, the verb also of v.18. The same duty is taught in Rom 13:1 and Titus 3:1; its ground here is 'for the Lord's sake'.

Verse 15

put to silence — Phimoo, literally to muzzle. The 'ignorance' (agnosia) of 'foolish' (aphron, senseless) men is answered not by argument but by good conduct, 'well doing' (agathopoieo). Titus 2:8 gives the same aim: that the opponent 'may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say'.

Verse 16

a cloke of maliciousness — Epikalyma, a covering or pretext; 'maliciousness' is kakia, the 'malice' of v.1. Liberty (eleutheria) is not a licence: 'only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh' (Gal 5:13). The free are 'servants' (doulos, slaves) of God.

Verse 17

Honour all men — Four short commands. Timao, to honour, governs both 'all men' and 'the king'; agapao governs the 'brotherhood' (adelphotes, the Christian fraternity); phobeo, to fear, is reserved for God. Compare Prov 24:21, 'fear thou the LORD and the king'.

Verse 18

Servants — Oiketes, a household servant. 'Be subject' is hypotasso, as in v.13, here with 'all fear' (phobos). 'Froward' is skolios, crooked or warped, the opposite of the 'good and gentle'. Paul gives parallel commands in Eph 6:5 and Titus 2:9.

Verse 19

thankworthy — Charis, grace or favour, rendered 'acceptable' in v.20, so the commendation is God's. 'Conscience toward God' is syneidesis; 'endure' is hypophero, to bear from underneath. The suffering is 'wrongfully' (adikos), as Christ's was (vv.21–23).

Verse 21

leaving us an example — Hypogrammos, a writing copy, the model letters a child traced. 'Steps' is ichnos, a footprint. The suffering is part of the calling ('hereunto were ye called'), the same calling out of darkness as in v.9; compare John 13:15.

Verse 22

neither was guile found in his mouth — From Isa 53:9: 'neither was any deceit in his mouth'. Dolos, guile, is the sin laid aside in v.1. 'Did no sin' matches Heb 4:15, 'yet without sin', and 1 John 3:5, 'in him is no sin'.

Verse 23

reviled not again — Loidoreo, to abuse, and antiloidoreo, to abuse in return; 'threatened' is apeileo. 'Committed' is paradidomi, to hand over: he put himself in the care of the righteous Judge, as at Luke 23:46, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit'. Compare 1 Pet 4:19.

Verse 24

bare our sins — Anaphero, to carry up, the verb of offering at v.5. 'Tree' is xylon, wood. The words draw on Isa 53:4–6, where he 'hath borne our griefs' and the LORD laid on him 'the iniquity of us all'. 'Stripes' is molops, a weal; 'healed' is iaomai.

Verse 25

the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls — The strayed sheep echo Isa 53:6, 'All we like sheep have gone astray'. Poimen is shepherd; episkopos is overseer, the word used of elders in Acts 20:28. Christ is 'the good shepherd' (John 10:11). 'Returned' is epistrepho, to turn back.