Books of the Bible

The Book of 1 Peter

New Testament · General Epistles · Genre: Epistle · Author: The apostle Peter · Chapters: 5

First Peter is a letter of hope for suffering Christians, written to believers scattered as strangers in a hostile world. Peter lifts their eyes to a living hope and an unfading inheritance, and shows how to follow the example of Christ, who suffered for us, with grace under trial.

Start reading: 1 Peter chapter 1

A key verse

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

The setting and background of 1 Peter

First Peter is one of the General Epistles, written by the apostle Peter to believers scattered across the provinces of Asia Minor who were facing hostility and suffering for their faith. Peter writes to encourage them as exiles and strangers in a world that is not their home, and to help them stand firm and even rejoice in the midst of trials.

The letter grounds suffering believers in a living hope, born again through the resurrection of Jesus to an inheritance kept in heaven for them. It calls them to holy living and honorable conduct among outsiders, holds up the example of Christ who suffered without retaliating and bore our sins on the tree, and urges them to cast all their anxiety on the God who cares for them.

First Peter was written to strengthen a persecuted church to hold fast to hope and to follow the example of Christ in suffering. In the sweep of Scripture it is the great letter of hope for suffering Christians, and its rich images of the church as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation have brought comfort and courage to believers under every kind of trial.

The story and structure of 1 Peter

First Peter was written by the apostle Peter to believers scattered across the provinces of Asia Minor, Christians who were facing hostility, slander, and suffering for their faith. Peter writes to encourage them as exiles and strangers in a world that is not their home, and to help them stand firm and even rejoice in the midst of trials.

He grounds them at once in a living hope, for God has caused them to be born again through the resurrection of Jesus to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for them. Their present trials, though painful, serve to refine their faith like gold tested in fire, resulting in praise and glory when Christ is revealed.

Peter calls them to holy living as those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and to conduct themselves honorably among outsiders, so that even those who slander them may be won over by their good works. As a chosen people and a royal priesthood, they are to declare the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Central to the letter is the example of Christ in suffering. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to God who judges justly, and he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. His suffering is both our redemption and our pattern.

Peter encourages the scattered believers to cast all their anxiety on God, because he cares for them, and to resist the devil, standing firm in the faith. He assures them that after they have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called them to his eternal glory, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish them.

The great themes of 1 Peter

Key passages in 1 Peter

1 Peter in the sweep of Scripture

First Peter is the New Testament's great letter of hope for suffering Christians, and it has strengthened persecuted believers throughout history. It teaches how to live as a faithful minority in a hostile culture, holding fast to hope, living honorably, and following the example of Christ in suffering. Its rich images of the church as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, and its call to cast every anxiety on a caring God, have brought comfort and courage to believers under every kind of trial.

Where Christ is in 1 Peter

First Peter points to Jesus, who suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps, and who bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his precious blood we are redeemed, and through his resurrection we are born again to a living hope, so that his suffering is both the ground of our salvation and the pattern for our own endurance.

How to read 1 Peter well

Read First Peter when you are suffering or feel like an outsider in the world, and let its living hope and its picture of Christ under trial steady your heart. Remember that your trials are refining your faith and that an unfading inheritance is kept for you in heaven. Follow the example of Christ, who did not retaliate but entrusted himself to God, and when anxiety presses in, cast all your care on the God who cares for you and will himself restore and strengthen you.

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