2:2
Peter used the desire that newborn babies have for their mothers’ milk as an illustration. He told the believers to desire God’s word in the same way that babies desire their mothers’ milk. In this way they would continue to grow strong as Christians until they experienced the final salvation God had for them.
2:2a
Like newborn babies: This is a simile. Peter was saying that his readers should have a strong desire for God’s word, just as babies have a strong desire for their mother’s milk.
newborn babies: This is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as newborn is used. Its use here probably implies that the babies in Peter’s illustration had no other food and wanted no other food. Those who are newborn babies are completely dependent on their mothers’ milk.
babies: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as babies refers to very small children. Several English versions translate it as “infants.” For example, the NET Bible says:
yearn like newborn infants for… (NET Bible)
If your language has a word or expression referring to babies in the first few weeks of their life, you may be able to use it here. In that case it may not be necessary to translate newborn separately and explicitly.
crave pure spiritual milk: The phrase crave pure spiritual milk describes how Peter wanted his readers to be like newborn babies. The pure spiritual milk is a metaphor for God’s word. Peter wanted them to crave it.
crave: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as crave is a command meaning “desire.” Other ways to translate this include:
Be…thirsty for (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
long for (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
yearn…for (NET Bible)
The Greek text has a definite article that is not explicit in the Berean Standard Bible. Many English versions do make it explicit. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:
long for the pure spiritual milk
Consider if it is natural in your language to make the definite article explicit in this context. In some language doing so may help show that the pure spiritual milk is a metaphor.
pure: The Greek adjective that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pure can means “sincere” or “without deceit.” As a description of milk, it can be translated as “unadulterated,” that is, not watered down. As a description of God’s word, it can be translated as:
truthful
Consider if there is a word in your language that could cover both ideas. If not, you will have to choose between describing the metaphor (milk) or the topic the metaphor represents (God’s word).
spiritual milk: There is a play on words here. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spiritual is from a root meaning “word.” Peter was implying that the spiritual milk was a figure of speech referring to the word of God.
milk: Here, milk refers to a mother’s milk. It represents food that is nourishing and life-giving, and it is a metaphor for God’s word. If you make this explicit, you may want to consider how you translated “the word of God” and “the word of the Lord” at 1:23b and 1:25a. See the General Comment below for more information.
General Comment on 2:2a
In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit something of the meaning of the metaphor in 2:2a. There are various ways of doing this. For example:
Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. (God’s Word)
-or-
As newborn babies want milk, you should want the pure and simple teaching. (New Century Version)
2:2b
so that by it you may grow up: Peter wanted his readers to desire God’s word (2:2a) so that they would continue to listen to it and/or read it. In this way they would receive spiritual nourishment and become strong and mature believers.
so that: The Greek preposition that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that introduces the purpose for desiring (and therefore receiving) spiritual milk. Here is another way to translate this:
Then (God’s Word)
by it: God’s word/teaching was to be the means by which Peter’s readers received their spiritual food. Peter was implying that because they desired God’s word, the believers would actually hear and read it. The Good News Translation has made this explicit by including drinking as part of the milk metaphor:
so that by drinking it you may grow up (Good News Translation)
you may grow up: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you may grow up is a form of a Greek verb that could mean grow or “increase” or “spread.” It can also be translated as “thrive.” For example:
so that you may thrive on it (Revised English Bible)
Peter was not telling his readers that they would grow up and no longer need the milk of God’s word. In Peter’s metaphor, all Christians remain babies who continue to need the nourishment of this milk in order to grow. Peter wanted his readers to continue to feed on God’s word and grow until their final salvation.
The way you translate this may depend on what sounds natural in your language. Some ways to say this include:
you will ⌊drink⌋ it and grow
-or-
it will nourish you
-or-
that by ⌊continuing to drink⌋ it you will thrive
-or-
that will help you grow (Contemporary English Version)
in your salvation: There are two ways of interpreting the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in your salvation :
(1) It means “resulting in your salvation”; that is, towards the goal of receiving final salvation from God. For example:
grow and be saved (Contemporary English Version)
(Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Revised Standard Version)
(2) It means “in or in regards to your salvation,” that is, it refers to becoming a strong and mature believer. For example:
grow into a full experience of salvation (New Living Translation (2004))
(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New International Version, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Peter was probably talking about the same salvation he referred to in 1:5. This is the salvation when God will deliver believers from all sin and suffering.
your salvation: In some languages it may be necessary to translate the abstract noun salvation as a verb:
you may…be saved (Good News Translation)
-or-
⌊God⌋ may/will save you
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