1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
• New International Version (NIV)But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Context of 1 Peter 2:9

7This precious value, then, is for you who believe [in Him as God’s only Son—the Source of salvation]; but for those who disbelieve, “The [very] stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief Cornerstone,” 8and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they disobey the word [of God], and to this they [who reject Him as Savior] were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges [those dishonorable desires] that wage war against the soul.

1 Peter 2:9 word by word

ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν, ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• a chosenἐκλεκτόςeklektos · selectG1588
• generationγένοςgenos · family: descendantG1085
• a royalβασίλειοςbasileios · kinglyG934
• priesthoodἱεράτευμαhierateuma · priesthoodG2406
• an holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• nationἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• a peculiarπεριποίησιςperipoiēsis · acquiringG4047
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
• ye should shew forthἐξαγγέλλωexaggellō · to proclaimG1804
• the praisesἀρετήaretē · virtueG703
• of him who hath calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• marvellousθαυμαστόςthaumastos · marvellousG2298
• lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457

Cross-references for 1 Peter 2:9

• 1 Peter 1:2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].
• Deuteronomy 10:15Yet the Lord had a delight in loving your fathers and set His affection on them, and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.
• Psalms 22:30Posterity will serve Him; They will tell of the Lord to the next generation.
• Psalms 33:12Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.
• Psalms 73:15If I had said, “I will say this,” [and expressed my feelings], I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The offspring of Abraham My friend,
• Isaiah 44:1“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:
• Exodus 19:5Now therefore, if you will in fact obey My voice and keep My covenant (agreement), then you shall be My own special possession and treasure from among all peoples [of the world], for all the earth is Mine;
• Isaiah 61:6But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; People will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And you will boast of their riches.
• Isaiah 66:21I will also take some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
• Revelation 1:6and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• Revelation 5:10You have made them to be a kingdom [of royal subjects] and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth.”
• Revelation 20:6Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) and holy is the person who takes part in the first resurrection; over these the second death [which is eternal separation from God, the lake of fire] has no power or authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with Him a thousand years.
• Psalms 106:5That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.
• Isaiah 26:2Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful and trustworthy.
• John 17:19For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Ye are a chosen generation - The titles formerly given to the whole Jewish Church, i.e. to all the Israelites without exception, all who were in the covenant of God by circumcision, whether they were holy persons or not, are here given to Christians in general in the same way; i.e. to all who believed in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles, and who received baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Israelites were a chosen…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9But ye are a chosen generation - In contradistinction from those who, by their disobedience, had rejected the Saviour as the foundation of hope. The people of God are often represented as his chosen or elected people. See the notes at 1 Peter 1:2. A royal priesthood - See the notes at 1 Peter 2:5. The meaning of this is, probably, that they “at once bore the dignity of kings, and the sanctity of priests” - Doddridge. Compare Revelation 1:6; “And hath made…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Peter uses descriptions of the Israelites in the Old Testament to refer to his mainly non-Jewish (Gentile) audience (see, for example, Exodus 19:5–6). By doing this, he shows that they are truly God’s people in the time of the new covenant, just as all Christians are.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Contrast in the privileges and destinies of believers. Compare the similar contrast with the preceding context. chosen--"elect" of God, even as Christ your Lord is. generation--implying the unity of spiritual origin and kindred of believers as a class distinct from the world. royal--kingly. Believers, like Christ, the antitypical Melchisedec, are at once kings and priests. Israel, in a spiritual sense, was designed to be the same among the nations of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Peter 2:9

• Blindness
• Chosen, or Elected
• Darkness
• Depravity of Man
• God
• Holiness
• Intercession
• Light
• Praise
• Priest
• Quotations and Allusions
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Bishop
• Chosen
• Cloke
• Consecration
• Disallow
• Fleshly
• Generation
• Offer
• Peculiar
• Priest

Commentaries on 1 Peter 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings