1 Peter 1:21

Authorized King James Version

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Word-by-Word Analysis

τὴν

G3588

Who

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

δι'

G1223

through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)

αὐτῷ

G846

him

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

πιστεύοντας

G4100

do believe

to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e., credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to ch

εἰς

G1519

to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases

θεόν

G2316

God

a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)

τὴν

G3588

Who

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

ἐγείραντα

G1453

that raised

to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e., rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from

αὐτῷ

G846

him

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

#10

ἐκ

G1537

from

a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause literal or figurative; direct

#11

νεκρῶν

G3498

the dead

dead (literally or figuratively; also as noun)

#12

καὶ

G2532

and

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

#13

δόξαν

G1391

glory

glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective)

#14

αὐτῷ

G846

him

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

#15

δόντα

G1325

gave

to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)

#16

ὥστε

G5620

that

so too, i.e., thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow)

#17

τὴν

G3588

Who

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

#18

πίστιν

G4102

faith

persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ

#19

ὑμῶν

G5216

your

of (from or concerning) you

#20

καὶ

G2532

and

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

#21

ἐλπίδα

G1680

hope

expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence

#22

εἶναι

G1511

might be

to exist

#23

εἰς

G1519

to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases

#24

θεόν

G2316

God

a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing faith central to epistemology and the means by which humans receive divine revelation and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

What practical applications emerge from understanding salvation as presented in this verse, particularly in light of addressing questions of religious pluralism and the exclusivity of Christ?
How does this verse's literary context within 1 Peter chapter 1 illuminate its theological significance, and what does this teach us about biblical interpretation?
In what ways does understanding faith in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about salvation?

Related Resources

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Topics

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