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1 Peter 11:1 Peter, an apostle [means “one who is sent”] of Jesus Christ, to the strangers [refers to an alien residing in a foreign land] scattered throughout [the recipients (both Jews and Gentiles) of the letter lived in the five provinces of he Roman Empire in what is now northern Turkey; Jews from these provinces heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9-10)] Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1:2 Elect [chosen; shows God’s initiative in all matters of salvation] according to the foreknowledge [means our salvation was not an afterthought on God’s part] of God the Father [the One who planned salvation before the beginning], through sanctification [to set apart or dedicate someone or something to God’s use] of the Spirit, unto obedience [the act of responding in faith to the gospel; characterizes the life of a believer] and sprinkling of the blood [expression possibly comes from the sprinkling of the blood on the ark of the covenant on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev. 16) or from the red heifer ceremony of Num. 19] of Jesus Christ [the One who shed His blood]: Grace [God’s undeserved favor; God’s initiative in reaching out to undeserving sinners] unto you, and peace [the wholeness resulting from salvation; there is no peace without grace first], be multiplied [God has an inexhaustible supply of grace and peace]. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy [means God has not given us what our rebellion against Him does deserve] hath begotten [cf. Jesus and Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1-21)] us again unto a lively hope [underscores the future orientation of believers’ lives in Christ; to live in the present with eyes on eternity; cf. Peter’s use of the word “hope” in 1:3,13,21; 3:5,15] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [the central reality of our faith; in the resurrection, God vindicated Jesus as His Son (Rom. 1:4)], 1:4 To an inheritance [means “a possession”] incorruptible [stated positively: perpetual], and undefiled [stated positively: pure], and that fadeth not away [stated positively: permanent], reserved in heaven for you [for believers], 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [at the return of Christ]. 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season [a short time in comparison with their eternal salvation (1:5) and reward (1:4)], if need be, ye are in heaviness [to be distressed] through manifold [various or “many colored”] temptations [“trials” (NIV); included persecution]: 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious [genuine faith will not perish when tested thus making it more valuable than gold] than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried [refined; tested] with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing [second coming] of Jesus Christ: 1:8 Whom having not seen [cf. Jn. 20:29], ye love [Gr. “agapao” or love in its highest form]; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing [Gr. “pisteuo” is the verb form of the noun translated “faith” in 1:9], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable [nobody can fully explain it] and full of glory [the opposite of the distress or sorrow caused by various trials]: 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls [in NT refers to the entire person: body, mind, and spirit]. 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves [i.e., the people of their own time] but you [recipients of Peter’s letter were privileged to experience what the prophets did not live to see (the fulfillment of the prophetic vision of Messiah)], but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you [including Peter] by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things [how God’s plan of salvation is being accomplished] the angels [have not experienced the kind of salvation from sin that saved humans have experienced] desire to look into. 1:13 Wherefore [word indicates that what follows flows from what preceded (1:1-12); marks transition from declaration of truth (1:1-12) to exhortation to action] gird up the loins of your mind [as men who wore long robes gathered them up in order to run or to work], be sober [self-comtrolled, serious, fully-rational], and hope [“a lively hope” (1:3)] to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [second coming; God’s ultimate deliverance in eternity] of Jesus Christ; 1:14 As obedient children [believers must behave in the way their Heavenly Father asks them to], not fashioning [Gr. “suschematizo” means to fashion or conform (cf. Rom. 12:2)] yourselves according to the former lusts [Gr. “epithumia” often refers to sexual lusts or passions and also to other worldly desires such as greed for material things; any desire for satisfaction apart from God; former pagan practices; former moral laxity] in your ignorance [of God and His Word; cf. “empty way of life” in 1:18]:
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