The section fittingly ends with a doxology. Power is literally “dominion” (Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New English Bible), but dominion itself includes the elements of power, rule, and sovereignty. Amen usually closes prayers and doxologies in the New Testament; it denotes the hope that what is said may be true and will be fulfilled. It can usually be rendered dynamically as “So be it” or “May it be so.”

The pronoun him in verse 11 refers, of course, to God, but it is very difficult in some languages to render satisfactorily this type of so-called “third person imperative.” The closest equivalent may be “may God rule forever.” In some languages, however, the equivalent may only be “God rules forever.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .