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1 Peter 1:13–21, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
1 Peter 1:13–21
Set Hope on Grace and Live Holy in Reverent Sojourning
Hope puts work clothes on without turning holiness into a purity police
Therefore they gird the mind, stay sober, and set hope fully on the grace coming at Jesus Christ's revealing. As obedient children they refuse the former desires of ignorance and become holy in all conduct, because the One who called them is holy. Reverent sojourning remembers an impartial Father and a ransom not of silver or gold but of Christ's precious blood, like that of a lamb without blemish, made known in these last times for their sake, with faith and hope in God who raised him.
Holiness is family resemblance, not ethnic purity, political withdrawal, control of other people's bodies, or shame aimed at ordinary embodied life. The empty ancestral patterns in view are the futile scripts of a pagan honor world, not a slur against Israel's story or against Jewish practice. They were bought out of emptiness so their conduct could match a different future, not so they could police neighbors.
How this should shape us
Set hope on incoming grace before you try to white-knuckle a better self. Refuse the empty modern scripts you inherited—image-management, treating people as tools—without turning holiness into contempt for bodies, cultures, or anyone's ethnicity.
Teach it back
Explain 1 Peter 1:13–21 in your own words. Include its place in 1 Peter's movement, the unit's logic, one material uncertainty, and one use the context rules out.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: Interpreters differ over the exact source of former conduct, nuances of fear and ransom, and how foreknowledge in verse 20 relates to divine purpose. The main line is clear: grace and redemption lead to hope, holiness, and Godward reverence.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
1 Peter 1:13–21, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
SBLGNT official text file 1Pet.txt, 1:13–21
Supports: Verse-level Greek, syntax, older-English wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
NET Bible 1 Peter PDF, 1:13–21 translation with attached translator, study, and textual notes
Supports: Authorship and date alternatives, Asia Minor audience, family and community setting, whole-letter movement, unjust suffering, hope, and theology.
Enter the Bible 1 Peter course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, and Theological Themes; applied to 1 Peter 1:13–21
Supports: Direct-Petrine case, literary flow, Greek observations, theology, and verse-level interpretation.
Storms, 1 Peter, section 1:13–21, with Who Wrote, When Written, Recipients, Theological Focus, Purpose, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Supports: Current critical positions on later date, non-Petrine composition, audience, suffering spectrum, 3:18–4:6, Silvanus, and review limitations.
Pierce, Themelios 48.3 (2023), PDF pp. 187–189 / journal pp. 676–679, review of Williams and Horrell, applied to 1 Peter 1:13–21
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for 1 Peter 1:13–21
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 1 Peter 1:13–21, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file 1Pet.txt, 1:13–21
Open the 1 Peter Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 1 Peter with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level Greek, syntax, older-English wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible 1 Peter PDF, 1:13–21 translation with attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 1 Peter PDF ↗modern scholarly book introduction
1 Peter course: summary, outline, background, introductory issues, and theological themes
Marc Kolden; revised by Kristopher Phan Coffman
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, 2023 revision
Supports: Authorship and date alternatives, Asia Minor audience, family and community setting, whole-letter movement, unjust suffering, hope, and theology.
Exact location: Enter the Bible 1 Peter course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, and Theological Themes; applied to 1 Peter 1:13–21
Open source ↗modern open commentary
1 Peter
Sam Storms
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Direct-Petrine case, literary flow, Greek observations, theology, and verse-level interpretation.
Exact location: Storms, 1 Peter, section 1:13–21, with Who Wrote, When Written, Recipients, Theological Focus, Purpose, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Open source ↗peer reviewed book review
Review of 1 Peter, Volumes 1–2, by Travis B. Williams and David G. Horrell
Madison N. Pierce
Themelios 48.3, 2023
Supports: Current critical positions on later date, non-Petrine composition, audience, suffering spectrum, 3:18–4:6, Silvanus, and review limitations.
Exact location: Pierce, Themelios 48.3 (2023), PDF pp. 187–189 / journal pp. 676–679, review of Williams and Horrell, applied to 1 Peter 1:13–21
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for 1 Peter 1:13–21
Open source ↗