ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

1 Peter 1.12

Book: 1 Peter · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV

10. Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11. searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.

12. To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

  1. Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14. as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: (1 Peter 1:10-14, ASV)
WEB

10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11. searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.

12. To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

  1. Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14. as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, (1 Peter 1:10-14, WEB)
KJV

10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

  1. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; to the end: Gr. perfectly 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: (1 Peter 1:10-14, KJV)
YLT

10. concerning which salvation seek out and search out did prophets who concerning the grace toward you did prophecy, 11. searching in regard to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was manifesting, testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory after these,

12. to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering these, which now were told to you (through those who did proclaim good news to you,) in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, to which things messengers do desire to bend looking.

  1. Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14. as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance, (1 Peter 1:10-14, YLT)

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Setting

  • Speaker: Peter, writing through Silvanus (5:12)
  • Audience: scattered believers across five Roman provinces of Asia Minor, described as sojourners and exiles and facing social hostility rather than state persecution
  • Location: written from "Babylon" (5:13), most likely a designation for Rome
  • Time period: c. AD 62 to 64, before the Neronian persecution

Theological reading

Which things angels desire to look into.

The verse closes Peter's remarkable statement about the prophets, and it contains one of the strangest claims in the New Testament.

The prophets served a later generation. Verse 10 says they sought and searched diligently concerning the salvation now announced, and verse 11 that they were searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto. Peter's picture is of inspired writers investigating their own oracles because they did not fully understand what they had written. That is a high view of inspiration and a modest view of the prophet's comprehension, held together without embarrassment.

Angels desire to look into it. Parakypsai means to stoop down and peer in, the same verb used of John and Peter stooping to look into the empty tomb at John 20:5 and 11. The image is of beings bending over to see something they are outside of. Whatever angels know, redemption is not theirs, and the letter presents them as spectators of a mercy they do not receive.

The pastoral effect is the point. These readers are socially marginal, harassed, and without standing. Peter tells them that prophets researched their situation and angels are craning to see it. The status inversion is the argument.

Verse 12 also grounds the apostolic proclamation in the Spirit sent forth from heaven, tying the preaching they heard to Pentecost.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.