God’s Word Translation
1 Peter 1:8
8Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words
1 Peter 1:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
- New International Version (NIV)Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
- New King James Version (NKJV)whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Context of 1 Peter 1:8
6You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. 7The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again. Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words 9as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith. 10The prophets carefully researched and investigated this salvation. Long ago they spoke about God’s kindness that would come to you.
Read all of 1 Peter 11 Peter 1:8 word by word
ὃν οὐκ ἰδόντες ἀγαπᾶτε, εἰς ὃν ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες πιστεύοντες δὲ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- havingὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- notοὐou · noG3756
- seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- ye loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- though nowἄρτιarti · nowG737
- notμήmē · notG3361
- yetδέde · thenG1161
- believingπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- ye rejoiceἀγαλλιάωagalliaō · to rejoiceG21
- with joyχαράchara · joyG5479
- unspeakableἀνεκλάλητοςaneklalētos · inexpressibleG412
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- full of gloryδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
Cross-references for 1 Peter 1:8
- John 20:29Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you’ve seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me but believe.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:18We don’t look for things that can be seen but for things that can’t be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can’t be seen last forever.
- 2 Corinthians 5:7Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.
- Hebrews 11:1Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see.
- 1 John 4:20Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates another believer is a liar. People who don’t love other believers, whom they have seen, can’t love God, whom they have not seen.
- 1 Peter 2:7This honor belongs to those who believe. But to those who don’t believe: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
- Matthew 10:37“The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple.
- Matthew 25:35I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home.
- John 8:42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I’m here, and I came from God. I didn’t come on my own. Instead, God sent me.
- John 14:15“If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
- John 21:15After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the other disciples do?” Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone doesn’t love the Lord, let him be cursed! Our Lord, come!
- 2 Corinthians 5:14Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died.
- Galatians 5:6As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.
- Ephesians 6:24His favor is with everyone who has an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 4:19We love because God loved us first.
Commentaries on 1 Peter 1:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Whom having not seen, ye love - Those to whom the apostle wrote had never seen Christ in the flesh; and yet, such is the realizing nature of faith, they loved him as strongly as any of his disciples could, to whom he was personally known. For faith in the Lord Jesus brings him into the heart; and by his indwelling all his virtues are proved, and an excellence discovered beyond even that which his disciples beheld, when conversant with him upon earth. In…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Whom having not seen, ye love - This Epistle was addressed to those who were “strangers scattered abroad,” (See the notes at 1 Peter 1:1) and it is evident that they had not personally seen the Lord Jesus. Yet they had heard of his character, his preaching, his sacrifice for sin, and his resurrection and ascension, and they had learned to love him: (1) It is possible to love one whom we have not seen. Thus, we may love God, whom no “eye hath seen,”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-9In most New Testament letters, a section of thanks or praise follows the greeting. Peter praises God because his mercy gives new spiritual life. This life creates hope for the future, even during difficult times.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. not having seen, ye love--though in other cases it is knowledge of the person that produces love to him. They are more "blessed that have not seen and yet have believed," than they who believed because they have seen. On Peter's own love to Jesus, compare Joh 21:15-17. Though the apostles had seen Him, they now ceased to know Him merely after the flesh. in whom--connected with "believing": the result of which is "ye rejoice" (Greek, "exult"). now--in…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Peter 1:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Peter 1
- 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
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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