1:19

In 1:18, Peter told his readers that God had not paid silver or gold to redeem them. Here in this verse, Peter told what price God did pay to redeem them. The payment was the precious blood of Christ.

Since this verse part continues a long sentence, it may be natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

You were set free by Christ’s precious blood, blood like that of a lamb without mark or blemish. (Revised English Bible)

but: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but marks a strong contrast. The contrast is between perishable things such as silver or gold and “the precious blood of Christ.” Show this contrast in your language in a way that is natural. Some other ways to translate this include:

instead
-or-
rather

with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot: There are several ways of understanding what Peter was saying in this verse part:

(1) He was comparing the blood of Christ to the blood of a lamb without blemish or defect. For example:

the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (Revised Standard Version)

(King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version)

(2) He was comparing Christ to a lamb without blemish or spot. For example:

the precious blood of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, New Century Version)

(3) He was both comparing the blood of Christ to the blood of a lamb and identifying the lamb with Christ. For example:

precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ (NET Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of commentators.

with the precious blood of Christ: Peter was referring here to the blood that Jesus shed while he was dying on the cross. His blood spilled out as he was giving his life as a sacrifice. In some languages it may be necessary to make some of this explicit. For example:

with the precious lifeblood of Christ (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
with the precious blood that Christ ⌊shed on the cross⌋

precious: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as precious means “valuable, of great worth.” Here is another way to translate this word:

costly (Good News Translation)

a lamb without blemish or spot: In the Old Testament, God told the Israelites that the lambs they were to sacrifice must be without…spot (Leviticus 23:12; Numbers 6:14). The lamb used at Passover Festival also had to be without…spot (Exodus 12:5).

without blemish or spot: The sacrificial lamb had to be physically perfect. Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice in the sense that he was without sin. So if possible, the words that you use to translate without blemish or spot should apply to both physical and spiritual or moral perfection.

The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as without blemish or spot are literally “unblemished and spotless.” These two words are very similar in meaning. Using the two together emphasizes the physical perfection of the lamb.

Some other ways that you may be able to translate this phrase include:

pure and perfect (New Century Version)
-or-
with no flaws
-or-
flawless

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