1 Peter 1:22–2:3, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
1 Peter 1:22–2:3
Enduring New Birth Produces Sincere Love and Hunger for Growth
An imperishable word grows sincere love, not a purity contest
Having purified their souls by obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, they are to love one another earnestly from a clean heart. They have been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. Grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains, and this word is the good news that was preached to them.
That new birth then puts away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander, and longs for pure spiritual milk so the community may grow into salvation after tasting that the Lord is good. Purifying the soul does not authorize purity culture, sexual shame, ethnic separation, or contempt for bodies. The toxins Peter names are social poisons inside the church, not a license to rank people by desirability or bloodline.
How this should shape us
Practice earnest love this week by refusing the quiet smear, the envying glance, and the half-true story about a sibling in the faith. Hunger for the word that birthed you more than you hunger to win the room, and do not use 'purity' talk to shame bodies or separate people by ethnicity.
Teach it back
Explain 1 Peter 1:22–2:3 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 sense of logikos, whether milk directly means Scripture or wider divine nourishment, and the originality of 'unto salvation.' The paragraph securely connects new birth, enduring gospel, love, removal of relational harm, and growth.
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 1:22–2:3, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
SBLGNT official text file 1Pet.txt, 1:22–2:3
Supports: Verse-level Greek, syntax, older-English wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
NET Bible 1 Peter PDF, 1:22–2:3 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 1:22–2:3
Supports: Direct-Petrine case, literary flow, Greek observations, theology, and verse-level interpretation.
Storms, 1 Peter, section 1:22–2:3, with Who Wrote, When Written, Recipients, Theological Focus, Purpose, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Supports: Non-normative ancient hierarchy and a mutuality-centered safety boundary for 2:13–3:9.
Smith, Working Preacher, 'Commentary on 1 Peter 2:1–9, 19–25,' complete Week 2 essay, especially targeted censure, household authority, mutuality, and survival strategy
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 1:22–2:3
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 1:22–2:3, 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, 1:22–2:3
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, 1:22–2:3 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 1:22–2:3
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 1:22–2:3, with Who Wrote, When Written, Recipients, Theological Focus, Purpose, outline, bibliography, and endnotes
Open source ↗modern scholarly pastoral commentary
Commentary on 1 Peter 2:1–9, 19–25
Shively T. J. Smith
Working Preacher, Luther Seminary, 2022
Supports: Non-normative ancient hierarchy and a mutuality-centered safety boundary for 2:13–3:9.
Exact location: Smith, Working Preacher, 'Commentary on 1 Peter 2:1–9, 19–25,' complete Week 2 essay, especially targeted censure, household authority, mutuality, and survival strategy
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 1:22–2:3
Open source ↗