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1 Peter 2:9

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 Peter 2:9 · direct translation from the Greek
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Peter calls a "holy nation" those who once were not a peopleHolinessPeter: we are God's people, to proclaim his excellenciesPraise and worshipPeter: a chosen people, a royal priesthood, God's own peoplePurposeThose who were not a people are now God's peopleThe Church and Community

With the Greek beneath

9

Allusion · Exodus 19:5-6

Go to Exodus 19:5-6

Both texts call the people of God “a holy nation” and connect it with the priesthood and with God’s special possession.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • ἔθνοςethnosG1484גוֹיgoyH1471“nation”
  • ἅγιονhagionG40קָדוֹשׁkadoshH6918“holy”
  • ἱεράτευμαhierateumaG2406כֹּהֲנִיםkohanimH3548“priesthood”
  • λαὸςlaosG2992עַמִּיםamimH5971“people”

Allusion · Isaiah 43:20-21

Go to Isaiah 43:20-21

Both texts, in Greek, speak of God’s “chosen race,” formed to proclaim his “excellencies” (aretas): 1 Peter 2:9 and Isaiah 43:20-21 in the Septuagint.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

Words of the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the OT (Isaiah 43:20 in the Septuagint numbering; Swete's text, CC BY-SA 4.0):

  • γένοςgenosG1085γένοςgenosLXX“race, descent, kind”
  • ἐκλεκτόνeklektonG1588ἐκλεκτόν,eklektonLXX“chosen”
  • ἀρετὰςaretasG703ἀρετάςaretasLXX“virtue, excellence”

1 Peter 2:9, word by word

a chosenἐκλεκτόνeklekton

chosen

Chosen, elect.

Where else “eklekton” appears
raceγένοςgenos

people

The nation or land someone is from.

Where else “genos” appears
a royalβασίλειονbasileion

royal

Royal, belonging to a king; "royal palaces".

Where else “basileion” appears
priesthoodἱεράτευμαhierateuma

priesthood

Priesthood: a body of priests.

Where else “hierateuma” appears
a holyἅγιονhagion

holy

Holy, like God: pure and majestic; or what is his.

Where else “hagion” appears
nationἔθνοςethnos

nation

A people with its own land, language and customs.

Where else “ethnos” appears
a peopleλαὸςlaos

people

A people, above all Israel, God's people.

Where else “laos” appears
God’s possessionπεριποίησινperipoiēsin

possession

What belongs to someone, acquired for himself.

Where else “peripoiēsin” appears
you may proclaimἐξαγγείλητεexangeilēte

proclaim

Tell out, proclaim.

Where else “exangeilēte” appears
the virtuesἀρετὰςaretas

virtue, excellence

Virtue, moral excellence; also excellent deeds.

Where else “aretas” appears
calledκαλέσαντοςkalesantos

call to life

God inviting someone to a new life.

Where else “kalesantos” appears
darknessσκότουςskotous

darkness

Darkness.

Where else “skotous” appears
his marvelousθαυμαστὸνthaumaston

marvelous

Marvelous, astonishing.

Where else “thaumaston” appears
lightφῶςphōs

God's light

God's light that shows the truth.

Where else “phōs” appears

Translation note

Recalls Exodus 19:5-6 and Isaiah 43:20-21. “Virtues”: in the plural, the excellencies of God; it is the same word as in the Greek of Isaiah 43:21, where it renders “praise.” It can also be understood as his admirable deeds.

The context

8and A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, and to this they were also destined.

9 · This verse (above)

10you who once were not a people, but now are the people of God; who had not received mercy, but now have received mercy.

Read all of 1 Peter 2

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