1 Peter Introduction
The writer, the apostle Peter, was the one Jesus had appointed the servant leader of the twelve apostles. And he was chief evangelist and leader in the early days of the church after Pentecost. However, it would be a mistake to say he was the leader of the worldwide church. James, the step-brother of Jesus, had been given the leadership role for the Church, especially the council of leaders in Jerusalem. Peter meanwhile healed the sick, raised the dead, and was the first to minister to the Gentiles.
Peter and Paul are often portrayed as being rivals and at odds during their 30+ years of ministry after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even though there was certainly at least one confrontation between them as described in Galatians 2:11-14, they were much more in sync than that, as Acts 15 shows Peter defending Paul’s point of view, since Peter preceded Paul in ministering to the Gentiles. After that, there is evidence that, for a period of time, Peter was the leader of the church in Antioch while Paul continued in missionary travels. And it is part of official church history that both Paul and Peter were in Rome at the same time, that they taught together, and even were martyred at the same time. Perhaps either Paul or Silas (who was Paul’s partner in his second missionary journey) prevailed on Peter to write to the churches of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) to encourage them in the face of persecution.
Peter’s writing was primarily to help the Christians endure and even prosper in the face of testing, trial, and even death. In fact, it was Peter’s claim that many of the Christians had come to place of intense love for Jesus perhaps even heightened by their suffering for Him. Peter’s writing winds back and forth between the love and suffering of the Savior for his people and their love and suffering for him. He then goes through many of the finer points of how to endure trial, how to be model citizens to draw others to Christ, how best to love one another, and how to stand against temptation.
1 Peter Guide to the Transcommentary
This is a little bit more than a translation and a bit less than a full commentary. It serves a similar function to the Amplified Bible, though that work’s purpose was to provide a complete sense of the meaning of the words used by the writers of scripture. This work has a somewhat different purpose:
-
To convey as close as possible the actual meaning of the sentences as they would have been understood at the time they were originally spoken or written. To accomplish this for twenty-first century Americans, dynamic equivalent words and sayings have been used at a sentence level. An attempt has been made to preserve intended wordplay and irony from the original author.
-
We have attempted to clarify ideas, references, and thought sequences that would have been clear to first century audiences but are not clear to modern audiences because of differences in culture, customs, language, or degree of familiarity with Old Testament scriptures and Messianic prophecies. The phrasing of the translation itself aims at that clarity, but we have also added words, phrases, and sentences to the narrative for improved understanding. All such additions are in brackets []. This allows the reader to have the explanatory additions when reading but also insulate these additions from the translated scripture – indeed, with a little effort they can be skipped entirely when reading aloud.
-
Color codes for different types of additional material are intended to further aid understanding:
- Green is used for words added to descriptive narrative because they are implied or as commentary to explain the context.
- References to scriptures are shown in gold.
-
As in many translations and editions, we have added headings in bold to help understand when a new theme is introduced by the author.
-
The author frequently refers to "Christ" or to "Jesus Christ". We have employed the words “the Anointed One” rather than "Christ", since that is the meaning of “Christ”. We wanted to avoid the sense of "Christ" as Jesus’ surname, yet still recognize it as a well-known title.
-
We have also added study questions at the end of each chapter to help you think more thoroughly about the meaning and application of the author’s writing.
We will have succeeded in this translation if you the reader find that you can read this work of scripture with greater comprehension and enjoyment than ever before. Please let us know if you find the various supplementary materials helpful. or too distracting, or if you have any other suggestions about how to improve this approach to translation.
Richard Tittle, pneuma9@gmail.com
1 Peter Chapter 1
To the believers in Asia Minor
1 I [Peter] am writing to those [believers in Jesus] who live as refugees, scattered throughout Pontus [north central Turkey on the Black Sea], Galatia [central Turkey], Cappadocia [southeastern Turkey], Asia [western Turkey including Ephesus], and Bithynia [northwestern Turkey along the Black Sea]. [Because of your belief in Jesus, you were] chosen 2 by the foresight of Father God to be made holy by the Spirit and through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, the Anointed One, [so you would be capable of] being obedient. [Once a person believed in Jesus and gave their life over to him, God ensures they would be born again with their spirit washed clean, the Holy Spirit living in their heart, and with eternal life and a resurrection body as their destiny.] May you grow greatly in His grace and peace!
3 May God the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, be praised because, by his abundant mercy, he has birthed in us a living hope by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus, the Anointed One. 4 [For we are expecting] an inheritance that will not decay or spoil or fade that has been preserved in heaven for you. [It’s in heaven’s bank and unlike an earthly inheritance, it can’t be stolen or reduced in value or cheated away from us.]. 5 And you yourself are preserved by the power of God through [the bolstering of your] faith [so that you are] kept safe and whole all the way to the end where it [our inheritance] will be revealed. [No matter the difficulties of this life, God will keep a believer safe from falling during this life so that he can receive the reward that has been kept for him after this life.]
Joy in the midst of trial
6 And we greatly rejoice in this [our promised inheritance], [since] it may be necessary to suffer through many trials for a season. 7 [God allows this] so that your faith will be tested, and it [your faith under fire] will prove to be more valuable than gold which can be destroyed by fire. After testing, your faith will remain and be found worthy of praise, and glory, and honor, when Jesus, the Anointed One, is revealed [at the time of his return].
8 Even though you have not seen him [Jesus] in person, you love him. And even though you can’t see him [with your physical eyes], you are believing. In fact, you are exceedingly glad, with an indescribable joy that is full of glory. 9 Indeed, you have already received the goal of your faith, your salvation. [They were so filled with his presence and the glory of his power that they were already living their heavenly reward.]
Prophets saw in advance the suffering and joy of salvation
10 This salvation was sought and carefully investigated by the very prophets who foretold this grace you have received. 11 They were seeking to know how and when would be fulfilled what they had been shown by the Spirit of the Anointed One when they saw in advance the sufferings of the Anointed One and the glory that would follow. 12 [However,] it was revealed to them that what they were ministering [through their prophecies], was not for themselves but for you [in a time to come], all that has been proclaimed to you through those who have preached to you the Good News through the Holy Spirit who was [also] sent to us from heaven. These are things even the angels long to understand.
[For example, Isaiah saw many things about the Anointed One seven hundred years in advance of Jesus’ coming, describing his suffering and its purpose perfectly in Isaiah 53, but he didn’t know how and when it would be fulfilled. Daniel was shown the timing of the coming of the Anointed One as he described in Daniel 9:20-27 but did not himself know the Anointed One who would fulfill his words. The prophet Joel described in advance in Joel 2:28-32 the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Peter later declared fulfilled in Acts 2:16-21. The angels longed to experience these things since they have the God-given assignment to help these things be fulfilled, but they don’t directly benefit themselves. Angels rebelled as man later did, yet there was no salvation for them as there was for man, so perhaps that was a second reason they would have longed to see and understand how this was fulfilled for men.]
Let His sacrifice make you holy
13 For that reason, hike up the robes of your mind [set your mind for action], remain watchful [for whatever trials come your way], and expectantly hope for grace to be supplied all the way to the end when Jesus, the Anointed One, is revealed [at his return to reign and to judge]. 14 Be obedient children, not allowing yourselves to fulfill your former desires as though you were ignorant [of what your heavenly Father expects of you]. 15 But, as He who has called you is holy, be holy in all your behavior, 16 for it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” [Leviticus 11:44]. 17 And since the Father you call on [in prayer] judges every person’s works impartially, then keep yourself in reverence for Him during your time on the earth [, for he sees with accuracy the degree of holiness of your life].
18 For you realize that when you were redeemed from the unfruitful way of life you inherited from your fathers, it was not with perishable things like silver and gold, 19 but with the precious blood of the Anointed One, as from a [sacrificial] lamb without any spot or blemish [and therefore qualified to take your place in the sacrifice]. [If you were Jews, you learned from your fathers to obey many rules which failed to make you holy. If you were non-Jews, you learned the ways of idolatry which also did not make you holy. Jesus delivered all of you from your former ways of life, and it was through the sacrifice of his own body and blood he gave you the way of becoming holy, by receiving his righteousness and then living according to the Spirit.]
20 His sacrifice was planned before the world was created, but it was only in recent time that he came forth [into the world to fulfill what was planned] for your sake. 21 [Not only did he die for you,] it was through Him that you [now] believe in God [the Father], the one that raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that you would have faith and hope in God. [Jesus trusted his Father through his death and was raised to life and given great glory, which motivates us to likewise put our trust in God.]
22 I see [the evidence of your full conversion from your former ways of life] that you have become holy through following the truth [of who Jesus is] through the Spirit [whom you received and who leads you], resulting in genuine love for one another. [Jesus made it clear that love and unity were the greatest signs that his people were truly following him.] [Now,] love one another intensely, with pure hearts.
The word of God, which motivates you, has an eternal power
[Don’t be afraid to risk everything for one another] 23 since when you were born again it was not from a seed that dies away, but you were born from the seed of the word of God which lives and dwells in you forever. [Since you know you will now live forever, you don’t need to hold back from risking everything you have in this life.] 24 For all flesh is like grass and the glory of man is like the flowering of the grass, but when the grass dries up, the flowers drop off. [Our individual lives wither away quickly and our accomplishments are quickly forgotten.] 25 But the word of God lives forever, that is, the word of the Good News of Jesus which was preached to you.
Discussion questions
1. Have you ever thought of the possibility that God could make you holy because of your belief in Jesus? And further, that this belief would help you to obedience and hope even through trial? (vs 1-5).
2. How is it even possible for one to joyfully believe in someone you’ve never met? How could the prophets have known about this possibility in advance and have written about it? (vs 6-12)
3. Do you love your church family and the other Christians you know intensely? If not, what do you think would need to happen in you for that to change? (vs 13-25)
1 Peter Chapter 2
Living stones
1 Therefore [because of how precious God's word is to us], [let us] put away all evil intentions, all deceptions, all pretenses, all envies, and all evil speaking. 2 May you be like newborn babies, hungry for the pure milk of the word [the simple truths of the Good News], so you may grow from it, 3 since you have already tasted that the Lord is good [Psalms 34:8]. 4 You have come to a living stone [Jesus], rejected by men, but chosen and precious to God [Isaiah 28:16]. 5 You also are living stones being built into a spiritual house [like the Temple], a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices approved by God through Jesus, the Anointed One. [Our worship and prayer before God, are sacrifices we make in the name of and in honor of Jesus and therefore are completely received by our God.]
6 This is just as contained in the scripture [Isaiah 28:16], “See, I am placing in Zion [Jerusalem] a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious, and he who puts his belief on Him, [building on him as the foundation,] shall not be ashamed” [Romans 9:32]. 7 To you who believe, he is precious, but to those who resist [belief], he is “the stone the builders rejected”. 8 But that same stone made [by God to be] the head of the corner is also a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense for those who stumble at the word, just as God intended.
[See Psalms 118:22-23, which was also quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42. The stone of greatest honor completes the building and holds every other stone soundly in place. However, the stone in the corner also projects out from the building – anyone who tries to walk around instead of into the building, will trip on him. Jesus was appointed not only to save all who would believe in Him, but the truth of who he is would be the test for all who hear the Good News about him. If they chose to disbelieve, they were condemning themselves for eternity. They stumbled on the stone. No one can avoid Jesus. Belief or unbelief are the test that sets our destiny. This was God’s plan from the beginning.]
9 But you are a people chosen by the king to be his priests, a nation purchased and set aside as God’s possession, so that you might proclaim the excellence of him who called out of the darkness into his marvelous light. 10 For once you were not even a people but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy but now you have obtained his mercy. [This refers to Hosea 2:23 but was also explained in Romans 9:25 and Ephesians 2:11-12. Peter is saying that the declarations formerly made concerning the Jews as God’s chosen people are now fulfilled in the believers who follow Jesus.]
Live above reproach for the sake of the Good News
11 Dear ones, I appeal to you as resident aliens and pilgrims [among the permanent residents of the nations in which you are living], to resist the desires of your flesh which battle against your mind. [Live purely and without attachment to worldly gain.] 12 Live among the non-Jewish peoples with honesty [and upright character], so that when some speak against you, calling you evildoers, the people will observe and remember your good works, so that they may glorify God when he visits them [through the sharing of the Good News]. [There were many rumors and nasty things told against Christians throughout the Roman Empire. Thus, behavior above reproach in the face of such slander was really important to change people’s attitudes towards Christians. This would give the believers opportunity to share the Good News and win some to Jesus, which would bring the time of his visitation among them.]
13 Submit yourselves to every human institution for the sake of the Lord, whether to the king who rules over all, 14 or to governors, appointed by the king to punish evildoers and to praise those who do well. 15 For that’s exactly God’s plan - that by well-doing you might silence the ignorant [speech] of foolish men [when they criticize believers without knowing anything about our faith]. 16 Act as free men, not as a cover for doing whatever bad things you feel like, but rather as servants of God [who follow him and do good out of love]. 17 Treat all men with honor [as you would desire to be treated], love brothers [believers], fear God [by following every commandment], and honor the king [obeying him as God’s representative].
18 Servants, submit yourselves with all fear [respect] to your master, not only to those who are good and gentle but to those who are nasty. 19 For it shows grace if a man because of his awareness of God is willing to endure grief which he does not deserve to suffer. 20 What credit is it, if you patiently accept a beating you deserved? But when you have acted faithfully, and you patiently suffer, this pleases God.
21 For you have been called to this very purpose, for the Anointed One also suffered for us, leaving you an example so you could follow in his footsteps. 22 For he never sinned and there was no deception in his mouth. 23 When evil was spoken about him, he did not speak evil in return, and when he suffered, he responded with no threats, but trusted himself to Him who judged righteously. 24 And he took responsibility for our sins [Isaiah 53:4,12] in his own body on the wood [of the cross], so that our sins would be removed [and no longer counted against us], and we become alive to righteousness. By the blows [he received], you were healed [Isaiah 53:5]. 25 For you were like sheep going astray [wandering into trouble] [Isaiah 53:6], but now are [ready to follow] the shepherd and overseer of your souls.
Discussion questions
1. Do you think it is fair that everyone in the world is measured by how they respond to Jesus? What do you think is the relationship between Jesus being the cornerstone and us being living stones? (vs 1-6)
2. Is it realistic to think that we could be above reproach so we could draw people to Jesus? Could you do that even if you were being treated terribly by a master, a boss, a teacher, or a spouse? (vs 7-25)
1 Peter Chapter 3
Lead your spouse to belief in the Lord through your changed behavior
1 In the same way [of submitting yourselves to others for the sake of leading them to the Lord], wives, submit yourself to [the leadership of] your own husbands, so that if they do not [yet] believe the word [preached to them], [they may believe] through your behavior without [your speaking] one word. 2 Let them fear [God] as they watch your pure behavior [changed by your belief and devotion to God]. 3 [If you are] no longer focused on outward adornment such as styling your hair, wearing gold, or fashionable clothing, 4 but rather on [making your] heart, the incorruptible inner part of man, of a humble and peaceful spirit, this is of great value in the sight of God. [Your husbands will think, “I need to take seriously what I have been hearing about God because look how she has changed. She used to be focused on frivolous things like her appearance and the latest gossip, but she has become pure and focused.”]
5 In former times, the holy women who trusted in God, adorned themselves in this same way, placing themselves in submission to their own husbands. 6 In this way, Sarah submitted to Abraham, calling him “Lord”, and you are [to be regarded as] her daughters as long as you do well even in fearful times [just as Sarah was pure even when in Abimelech’s harem].
7 Likewise, you husbands, live with your wives according to knowledge [of how husbands should treat wives in the eyes of God], treating them with honor as the more delicate vessel [, therefore protecting and providing for them], since you are heirs together of the gift of [eternal and powerful] life. That way your prayers [together] will not be hindered. [In many societies, women were {and still are) treated more like property, not as equals in value. If husbands treat their wives in this way then how can they pray together powerfully as two in agreement.]
8 Finally, let all of you be in harmony, understanding, brotherly, tender-hearted, humble, 9 not retaliating or arguing, but rather blessing [those who do you harm] since you have inherited blessings [from God that will be yours forever]. 10 For [as Psalms 34:12-16 says,] “Whoever wants to love life and see good days, let him restrain his tongue from speaking evil and his lips from deception. 11 Avoid evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord [watch] over the righteous, and his ears [are attentive] to their prayers. But his face is against those who do evil.” 13 But who will harm you if you follow what is good? 14 But if you do suffer for the sake of righteousness, you will be blessed [by your Father who will give you the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10)]. So don’t be intimidated or troubled by their threats.
Always be ready to explain your faith
15 But in your heart regard the Lord your God as holy [and to be feared more than those who persecute you, as described in Isaiah 8:13]. Always be ready to explain the hope that is in you [because of believing in Jesus] with humility [intending not to offend your hearers] and fear [desiring not to offend God], 16 so that those who have spoken negatively about you as though you were evildoers may now be ashamed they have falsely accused you when they hear the good things you are saying [about how and why you observe your faith] in the Anointed One. 17 If it’s God’s will that you must suffer [to prove your faith on the earth], it’s better if it’s for doing [and saying] good things than for doing evil.
18 [Jesus himself was our example – even in death he was ready to explain his faith.] For the Anointed One himself suffered once [for all time], the righteous one for the unrighteous, to bring us to God, himself having been put to death in his flesh but given life in the spirit. 19 [Not yet resurrected in his body, but remaining] in his spirit, he went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 the ones who continued to disobey [God and refusing to turn away from violence] while God patiently waited during the days of Noah for the ark to be completed, in which only a few – eight souls – were brought safely through the water. 21 Which reminds us of how in baptism, we are not saved by the washing away of dirt from our flesh, but rather by having good answers to the questions [in the baptism examination], based on our faith in the resurrection of Jesus [who died for us and then rose to new life], 22 who has gone into heaven, has risen to the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have made subject to him.
[Jesus set the example for us of how to persevere in well doing in order to lead people in righteousness. He did it to the point of his death. And even while his body was still in death, Jesus even traveled to the place of the dead and completed the task of explaining to the fallen angels who were in chains (described in Jude 5-6) his own victory and their judgment, which makes our task of justifying the reasons for our belief seem light in comparison. Jesus’ proclamation may additionally have addressed all who were dead, since all the ungodly were to some degree also in prison awaiting their judgment. Ephesians 4:9 may be referring to this when it says Jesus “descended to the depths of the earth”.
Furthermore, Matthew 27:52-53 tells us that some believers were freed from their tombs at Jesus’ death and resurrected to life at Jesus’ resurrection as first fruits. However, Peter is emphasizing the task we all share with Jesus of proclaiming the Good News to those around us who do not know God. Likewise, the ability to explain our faith proves we are saved just as the ark saved Noah. And when Jesus received his resurrected body and took his place next to his Father in heaven, he also was made higher than all the heavenly hosts, so he is worthy of all of our belief and allegiance.]
Discussion questions
1. Can you imagine living differently enough that it would cause your spouse or family member to think there was something to your relationship with Jesus enough to change them? (vs 1-14)
2. Can you explain your own faith simply and quickly to be a good witness for Jesus? (vs 15-17)
3. What do you think Jesus told the spirits who were in the place of the dead? What did they need to hear? (vs 18-22)
1 Peter Chapter 4
Willingness to suffer for the sake of Jesus
1 Therefore, since the Anointed One suffered in the flesh for us, so also you should prepare yourself with the same willingness, because the one having suffered in the flesh is done with sin, 2 no longer living according to the fleshly desires of men, but instead living according to the will of God for the remainder of his fleshly life [on the earth]. 3 For we have already spent more than enough of our lives living like the non-Jewish peoples [among whom we live], indulging our passions, giving into our desires, overflowing in drinking wine, riotous living, unbridled appetites, and terrible idolatries [worshipping false gods through sinful practices].
4 In which they [those among whom we live] think it strange and speak evil of us because we don’t rush headlong into the same riotous living in which they indulge. 5 [Yet] they must appear [before Jesus] to give an account [for how they lived their lives] to him who is prepared [on Judgment Day] to judge those still alive and those who already died. 6 For that’s exactly the goal of the Good News being preached, so that even for those who have died [as martyrs for their faith], though they might indeed have been judged by men in the flesh [and executed], they yet live in their spirts in accordance with the judgment of God [and receive a heavenly reward].
Love one another intensely
7 But the end of all things is close, so make sound judgments and keep watching so you may pray [to remain faithful]. [Peter may have been thinking the return of the Lord would be soon. However, at the least, he was helping his hearers recognize that many of them would be martyred and so they should keep their minds always ready and stay true to the end of their own lives.] 8 And above anything else, love one another intensely [and sacrificially], for love covers a multitude of sins. [Truly loving means to ignore the faults of others and go beyond our own limitations.]
9 Host others without complaint. [This is an important way of loving others and trusting God, to spend your resources and energies on behalf of others.] 10 Whatever gift you have received from God, share that with others, as good stewards of all that God supplies. 11 [For instance,] if anyone speaks [as a preacher or teacher or prophet], let it be as God were himself speaking. If anyone ministers, let it be with [the fullness of] God’s giftings. That way, God will be glorified in all things [he has given us] through Jesus, the Anointed One, to whom be all glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
12 Dear ones, don’t think it’s anything strange the fires [difficulties] that are testing you, as though you are being subjected to something unusual. 13 But just as you share the sufferings of the Anointed One, when he is revealed in his glory [at his return], you can also jump for joy [because you will share in his victory]. 14 If you are condemned for [following and serving] the name of Jesus, you are under a blessing, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. [God will give you a divine strength and joy to persevere and a reward after this life is done (Matthew 5:12). An example is Stephen at the time of his martyrdom (Acts 7:55)] Even though they are condemning him, you are honoring him [by remaining committed to him in the face of persecution].
Suffer for doing good and not for evil
15 [If you are to suffer,] make sure that it is never as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a meddler in other’s lives. 16 And if you ever do suffer as a Christian, don’t be ashamed, but instead give glory to God for this [opportunity to suffer for the sake of Jesus]. 16 For the time has arrived for judgment [through the testing of faith], beginning with the house of God [among the followers of Jesus], and if it [the testing of faith] begins with us, what will be the fate of those who don’t follow the Good News of God? [Our test is here and it is for a short time but their judgment will be after this life and it will determine their fate eternally.] 17 And if it’s so difficult for the righteous to be saved, then where [on the scale of judgment] will the ungodly and sinner show up? 18 Therefore, let those who suffer when following God’s purpose continue in good works as they trust God to preserve their souls since he is our creator whom we can trust.
[Our earthly lives are a testing ground. It is an amazing process whereby our Savior bought our salvation and then we had to give up our pride to say yes to it. Then there are many trials in our lives and we are tempted to give in but he bolsters our faith. Yet those who have not given their lives to him cannot stand under his scrutiny and judgment.]
Discussion questions
1. Since you’ve been a Christian, have you ever felt peer pressure to act in a way you knew was wrong? What affect do you think your Christian behavior may have had on others? Do you ever think about how you would explain it all to God when he reviews your life? (vs 1-6)
2. Do you share what you do well with others? Are you willing to help and host people who have just moved into your city or neighborhood? (vs 7-11)
3. Why do you think God allows us to suffer at all? Is it really better to suffer for what you believe than for doing bad things? (vs 12-18)
1 Peter Chapter 5
Leading and following
1 To you who [have been appointed] leaders, as one who is a fellow leader and a witness to the sufferings of the Anointed One and also one who has shared in the glory that will be revealed, I have a word of encouragement for you. [Peter witnessed the glory of the Lord on the mount of transfiguration but the whole world will see that glory at the second coming.] 2 Feed the flock of the Lord assigned to you, watching over them willingly not grudgingly, enthusiastically and not because someone is paying you. 3 Don’t lead by exerting authority over those placed in your care but lead the flock by example. [Shepherds often get their sheep to follow by going first to show the sheep where to go. This is more effective than knocking the sheep with their crooks for going the wrong direction. Jesus himself was a servant and an example.] 4 And when the Chief Shepherd arrives, you will receive a crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 Likewise, you who are younger or less experienced, obey your elders. In fact, all of you should submit yourselves to one another, clothed with humility, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble [Proverbs 3:34]. [Don’t try to promote yourself through prideful ambition. When you serve God, he will reward you.] 6 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and he will promote you at the right time. 7 Cast all your cares on him, for He cares for you.
Standing against the devil
8 Remain sober and watchful, because your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, who walks about seeing whom he may devour. [He will tempt you to compromise on your faith and if you do, then he will seek to overwhelm you.] 9 Instead, stand firm against him, relying on your faith, knowing that your brothers around the world are going through the same trials. [You are not alone!] 10 But after you have suffered for a time, the God of all grace will steady and strengthen you until you are safe, since He is the one who has called us into his eternal glory in the Anointed One, Jesus. 11 To Him be all glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
Credit to Silas and greetings from Mark
12 Through Silvanus [the more formal name of Paul’s companion, Silas, who ministered in these regions as described in Acts 15-16], a trusted brother [who will convey this letter], I have written perhaps somewhat briefly to you, declaring and testifying that you are standing in the true grace of God. [Silas may have actually written the letter, like a good speech writer, editing it into good Greek.] 13 Those in Babylon [likely signifying Rome] and Mark [likely John Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark with Peter’s help], my son, who are among “the chosen” along with you, greet you! 14 Greet one another with a kiss to convey our love. Peace be with all of you who are in the Anointed One, Jesus. Amen.
Discussion questions
1. How are you at leading? How are you at following? What could you do that would make you better at either? (vs 1-7)
2. When you are suffering, does it help to know others are going through the same things? (vs 8-11)