1:23

In this verse, Peter gave his readers another reason for his exhortation in 1:22c. They had been born again through God’s permanent living word (1:23). Therefore, they ought to love each other fervently (1:22c).

1:23a

For: In Greek, this verse begins with a participle that signals that Peter is writing an additional reason/basis for his readers to love each other, as he urged them to do in 1:22c. Some other ways to signal this relationship are:

since…
-or-
because…
-or-
Do this because…
-or-
You should love each other because…

you have been born again: The Greek participle that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you have been born again is passive. Peter used the active form of this verb at 1:3b. Refer to your translation of that verse and the note there on “He has given us new birth.”

Your language may require that you make this clause active and specify who caused them to be born again. For example:

God has caused you to be born again (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God has given you a new life
-or-
God has made your lives new

not of perishable seed: The phrase not of perishable seed means “not from a seed that will perish.” It was not some finite or material seed that gave Peter’s readers new birth. See the note on 1:18b, where the same Greek word for perishable is used.

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as seed can refer to either male seed or plant seed. Therefore there are two ways of interpreting the phrase perishable seed :

(1) It refers to human reproduction. For example:

not of mortal…parentage (Revised English Bible)

(New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Revised English Bible)

(2) It refers to the seeds of plants. This is the more normal use of the English word seed.

Since the Greek word can mean both things, the original readers could have thought of both kinds of seed. If you must choose between the two, it is recommended that you choose interpretation (1).

but of imperishable: The word imperishable modifies the implied word “seed.” “Imperishable seed” is a figure of speech that illustrates how Peter’s readers received their new life. There are two ways of understanding what it refers to:

(1) It refers to God’s word. For example:

but imperishable, that is…the…word of God (New American Standard Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible; probably New Century Version)

(2) It refers to God. For example:

a parent who is immortal (Good News Translation)

(Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)

Some versions are ambiguous and do not say to what “imperishable seed” refers (King James Version, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version). If you must choose one of the two interpretations, it is recommended that you follow the interpretation (1).

General Comment on 1:23a

In some languages it may not be possible to keep the seed figure of speech. Some English versions have translated without this figure. For example:

this new life did not come from something that dies, but from something that cannot die (New Century Version)

However, because of the context, it is recommended that you do keep the seed figure or a similar figure, if possible.

1:23b

through: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as through here means “by means of.” In this context it apparently means much the same as the preposition translated as “of” in 1:23a. The word of God was the means that God used to give the believers new birth. Here is another way to translate this word:

by (Contemporary English Version)

living and enduring: The words living and enduring are similar in meaning. They are used together for emphasis. Other ways that you may be able to say living and enduring include:

living and abiding (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
living and eternal (Good News Translation)
-or-
that lives for ever
-or-
that lives and never dies

word of God: The phrase the word of God refers to the same thing as “the truth” in 1:22a. It is the message from God concerning the good news about Jesus Christ. Other ways you may be able to say word of God include:

God’s message
-or-
word/message from God

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