God’s Word Translation
1 Peter 2:9
9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
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 honor belongs to those who believe. But to those who don’t believe: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, 8a stone that people trip over, a large rock that people find offensive.” The people tripped over the word because they refused to believe it. Therefore, this is how they ended up. However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not God’s people, but now you are. Once you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy. 11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you.
Read all of 1 Peter 21 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 1:2God the Father knew you long ago and chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit’s help so that you are obedient to Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with his blood. May good will and peace fill your lives!
- Deuteronomy 10:15The Lord set his heart on your ancestors and loved them. Because of this, today he chooses you, their descendants, out of all the people of the world.
- Psalms 22:30There will be descendants who serve him, a generation that will be told about the Lord.
- Psalms 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Blessed are the people he has chosen as his own.
- Psalms 73:15If I had said, “I will continue to talk like that,” I would have betrayed God’s people.
- Isaiah 41:8“But you are my servant Israel, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendant of Abraham, my dear friend.
- Isaiah 44:1But now listen, my servant Jacob, Israel, whom I have chosen.
- Exodus 19:5If you carefully obey me and are faithful to the terms of my promise, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, even though the whole world is mine.
- Isaiah 61:6You will be called the priests of the Lord. You will be called the servants of our God. You will consume the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their splendor.
- Isaiah 66:21“I will make some of them priests and Levites,” declares the Lord.
- Revelation 1:6and has made us a kingdom, priests for God his Father. Amen.
- Revelation 5:10You made them a kingdom and priests for our God. They will rule as kings on the earth.”
- Revelation 20:6Blessed and holy are those who are included the first time that people come back to life. The second death has no power over them. They will continue to be priests of God and Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.
- Psalms 106:5so that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, find joy in our people’s happiness, and brag with the people who belong to you.
- Isaiah 26:2Open the gates, and let the righteous nation come in, the nation that remains faithful.
- John 17:19I’m dedicating myself to this holy work I’m doing for them so that they, too, will use the truth to be holy.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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