Passage
1 Peter 2.21-25
Book: 1 Peter · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
Immediate context (±2 verses)
ASV
19. For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21. For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22. who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23. who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24. who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 25. For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:19-25, ASV)
WEB
19. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. 20. For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, 22. who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” 23. Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; 24. who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 25. For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:19-25, WEB)
KJV
19. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. thankworthy: or, thank 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. acceptable: or, thank
21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: for us: some read, for you 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: himself: or, his cause 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. on: or, to 25. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:19-25, KJV)
YLT
19. for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; 20. for what renown [is it], if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure [it]? but if, doing good and suffering [for it], ye do endure, this [is] gracious with God,
21. for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 22. who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, 23. who being reviled, was not reviling again, suffering, was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously, 24. who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed, 25. for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:19-25, 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
The letter's central Christological passage, and probably an early hymn or confession that Peter is quoting.
The frame is imitation (v. 21). Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps. Hypogrammon is a writing-master's copy, the line of letters a child traces over to learn the hand. The image is of a pattern laid underneath the pupil's own attempt.
Then the passage exceeds its own frame. An example would require only that Christ suffered well. Peter goes on to say that he bare our sins in his body upon the tree (v. 24), which is not something a reader can imitate. The passage holds example and substitution together without treating them as rivals, and any reading that keeps one while discarding the other is cutting the text.
Isaiah 53 saturates it. Did no sin, no guile in his mouth (53:9); reviled not again, opened not his mouth (53:7); bare our sins (53:12); by whose stripes ye were healed (53:5); ye were going astray like sheep (53:6). Peter applies the Servant Song to Jesus as a settled reading, without arguing for it. See Isaiah 53 Is About Israel Objection Defeater.
Verse 23 supplies the mechanism: he committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Non-retaliation is not passivity but the transfer of judgment to God, which is the same logic Paul uses at Romans 12:19 and which makes the ethic possible without pretending injustice is not injustice.
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.
- G1343 - dikaiosyne, dikaiosyne, Strong's G1343
- G5590 - psyche, psyche, Strong's G5590
- G3860 - paradidomi, paradidomi, Strong's G3860
- G4983 - soma, soma, Strong's G4983
- G2198 - zao, zao, Strong's G2198
- G0266 - hamartia, hamartia, Strong's G0266
Quoted in
Arguments and defeaters:
- Allah Predestines Child to Hell Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment
- Bible Contradictions Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Cursed Messiah Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.22, 1 Peter 2.22-24, 1 Peter 2.24
- Forced Conversion By Sword Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.21-23
- Jesus Said Only God Is Good Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.22
- Liar Lunatic or Lord, via 1 Peter 2.21-22
- Mohammed Killed Mockers Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.23
- No One Can Die For Another Objection Defeater, via 1 Peter 2.24
Concepts:
- 100 Verses of Compassion and God's Goodness, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Atonement, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Atonement Theory Spread, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Bible Contradictions Objection, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Christ vs Other Religion-Founders, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Christology
- Old Testament Christology, via 1 Peter 2.22-25
- Penal Substitutionary Atonement, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Sin, via 1 Peter 2.24
- Substitutionary Principle in the OT
- The Passion of Christ, via 1 Peter 2.24
People:
Lexicon:
- G0266 - hamartia, via 1 Peter 2.24
- G4983 - soma, via 1 Peter 2.24
- H5650 - ebed
- H5771 - avon, via 1 Peter 2.24
- H7725 - shuv, via 1 Peter 2.25
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.