SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2018 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2:25

2:25a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces a quotation from Isaiah that relates to what Peter has just said. Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. Introduce this Old Testament quotation in a way that is natural for your language. Some versions (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version) put the allusion to Isaiah in quotation marks, even though it is not a direct quotation.

you were like sheep going astray: This is a metaphor. In this Old Testament quotation, people who do not know God are compared to sheep. Those are domestic animals that are raised for meat and for wool. In some languages there may not be a word for sheep. If that is true in your language, you may borrow the word for sheep and indicate its meaning with a general word. For example:

an ⌊animal called⌋ sheep

going astray: The phrase going astray means to go in the wrong direction or off the correct path/way. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

wandered away (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
lost (God’s Word)
-or-
gone on the wrong path

2:25b

now: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as now referred to the situation at the time when Peter was writing.

you have returned: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you have returned here means “have turned to.” Peter’s readers had not been Christians at any previous time in the past. They had not gone back to Jesus after having left him. So the Revised English Bible says:

you have turned towards

the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls: Peter was referring to Jesus Christ. He was the Shepherd of all who believed on him, and he was their Overseer also.

Shepherd: A Shepherd is someone who takes care of animals such as sheep and goats. This is a metaphor. Jesus is like a shepherd in the sense that he leads and cares for those who belong to him. Since this is a very important metaphor in both the New and Old Testaments, it is recommended that you translate it literally. See Psalm 23:1 and John 10:11 as additional examples.

Overseer: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Overseer means one who watches over and protects others. Other ways to translate it include:

guardian (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Protector (New Century Version)
-or-
Keeper (Good News Translation)

your souls: Here the term souls refers to the entire person (as in 1:9), since there is no contrast with “body.” Your souls could be translated as:

you

© 2018 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 4:10

4:10a

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God: A “steward” was a servant or employee who looked after or administered another person’s property. So by calling his readers good stewards of the manifold grace of God, Peter was saying that Christians are to use wisely what God has graciously entrusted to them. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

as a good manager of God’s…gifts (Good News Translation)

the manifold grace of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the manifold grace of God is literally “God’s varied grace.” Peter meant that the grace was expressed in different gifts, so it may be necessary to translate this as:

God’s various gifts of grace (New Century Version)

the…grace of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the…grace of God refers to the gifts that God has graciously given to each of his people. Another way to translate this phrase is:

special gift (Good News Translation)

4:10b

each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another: In this verse part Peter assumed that God had given some talent or ability to each believer. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. It may also be necessary to break 4:10b into two shorter sentences. For example:

Each one of you has received a gift ⌊from God⌋. You should use it to serve others.

gift: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gift here refers to the ability that God gives to each person to do certain tasks. Another way to translate this word is:

what God has given to each one

to serve one another: The phrase to serve one another refers to do things that help or benefit other people in some way. Here’s another way to translate this phrase:

for the good of others (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 4:10a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reorder some of the information in these verse parts. The grounds for the command could be put at the end. That is the order in Greek. For example:

10b Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, 10a as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (New International Version)
-or-

10b Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, 10a as good stewards of the varied grace of God. (NET Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2:4

Paragraph 2:4–8

In this paragraph, Peter used a metaphor that compared Jesus Christ to a stone. He quoted three passages from the Old Testament that also used the metaphor of a stone to speak about the Christ whom God had promised to send:

(a) In 2:6 Peter quoted from Isaiah 28:16.

(b) In 2:7 Peter quoted from Psalm 118:22.

2:4a

As you come to Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as As you come is literally “coming.” There are two ways to interpret this word:

(1) It states a fact. Peter’s readers were coming to Jesus Christ. For example:

You are coming to Christ (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New International Version, God’s Word)

(2) It is a command. Peter told his readers to come to Christ. For example:

Come to him (Revised Standard Version)

(Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Peter was encouraging his readers. He was writing about what happened as they came to Christ.

come to Him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as come to Him refers to believers approaching Christ in worship and service. It could also refer to new believers coming to Christ in faith for salvation. You should translate come in a general way that could include both of these meanings.

to Him: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to him may be translated literally as “to whom.” This refers to “the Lord” in 2:3, who is Jesus Christ. Some English versions have made this explicit. For example:

to the Lord Jesus (New Century Version)

the living stone: Since stones are not alive, the adjective living shows that Peter was using a figure of speech. He was using the metaphor of a living stone to refer to Christ.

It may be more natural in your language to translate this metaphor as a simile. For example:

who is like a living stone

living: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as living means “lives” or “is alive.”

Other places in this letter where Peter used the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as living are 1:3, 1:23, 2:5, 4:5.

stone: Some translations, such as the New International Version, capitalize the word “Stone” because in this context it is a title for God the Son. The Greek text permits capitalizing the word. The earliest Greek manuscripts were written in all capital letters, and so it is not possible to determine from them what words the authors would have capitalized if they had been following modern conventions.

In New Testament times, houses and temples were generally built out of stones. The context makes it clear that Peter was referring to a stone of the size and shape that people could use for building.

2:4b

rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight: This verse part contrasts how people viewed the living Stone with how God viewed it. Other ways to indicate this contrast include:

On the one hand, it was rejected by people, while on the other hand, it was chosen by God and precious to him
-or-
though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight (New Revised Standard Version)

In some languages it may be necessary to replace the passive forms rejected and chosen with active verbs. For example:

Even though people rejected it, God chose it and valued it

rejected: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rejected can also be translated as “did not accept.” In the metaphor, people chose not to use this particular stone. The meaning in the metaphor is that people did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Other ways you may be able to say this include:

Many people…did not want this stone (New Century Version)
-or-

⌊This stone⌋ was discarded by human beings
-or-
People treated it/him with disdain/contempt

by men: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as men means people in general, including both men and women. Some translations make this explicit. For example:

rejected by human beings (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
rejected by the people (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
rejected by mortals (New Revised Standard Version)

chosen and precious in God’s sight: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as chosen…and precious is literally “chosen, precious.” The Good News Translation makes the implied relationship between the adjectives explicit:

chosen by God as valuable (Good News Translation)

chosen: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as chosen in this context means “selected.” In the metaphor, God selected this particular stone because he considered it valuable.

This is a passive clause. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active verb:

God chose it
-or-
he was the stone God chose (New Century Version)

precious: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as precious indicates that God considered the living stone, Jesus Christ, to be very valuable. Other ways to translate precious include:

immensely valuable (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
priceless (NET Bible)
-or-
of great worth (Revised English Bible)

in God’s sight: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in God’s sight is literally “with God.” The Berean Standard Bible uses an English idiom to convey the sense that this is referring to what God regards or considers the stone to be. Your language may have an idiom of its own that you could use here. Other ways to translate this include:

chosen by God and precious to him (New International Version)
-or-
chosen and precious with God

General Comment on 2:4a–b

In some languages it may be natural in your language to reorder 2:4a–b. For example:

4b
⌊Jesus Christ is like a stone⌋ that many people have discarded but that God has chosen as valuable. 4a You have come to this living stone….

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 3:11

3:11a

This verse part is a quotation of Psalm 34:14a.

He must turn from evil and do good: The verb phrases in this verse part say the same thing in different ways.

turn from evil: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as turn from evil means to avoid evil, that is, to refrain from doing anything that is morally wrong.

Some other ways to translate this are:

Instead of doing evil, he must do what is right
-or-
Give up your evil ways and do right (Contemporary English Version)

3:11b

This verse part is a quotation of Psalm 34:14b.

he must seek peace and pursue it: This clause is also a poetic doublet. The Good News Translation combines the two verbs into one:

you must strive for peace with all your heart (Good News Translation)

he must seek peace: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he must seek peace means “he must work to make peace.” It is also possible to translate this as:

he must try to live peacefully

peace: Here, peace refers to peace with other people, that is, good relationships.

pursue it: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pursue it here means to make a strong effort to live in peace. Some other ways this phrase can be translated include:

work to maintain it (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
strive for it

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 5:2

5:2a

This is the beginning of Peter’s appeal to the elders. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce it with a phrase such as:

This is my appeal…

Be shepherds of God’s flock: This is a metaphor. In the lands of the Bible, shepherds cared for and protected sheep. Church leaders were to care for the members of the church as a shepherd took care of his sheep.

In some languages, a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand. Some other ways to translate it are:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care (Contemporary English Version)

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:

Care for God’s people as a shepherd watches over his flock ⌊of sheep⌋

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

Watch over God’s people who are under your care

God’s flock: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as God’s flock means “the flock that belongs to God.” God is the owner of the flock. A flock is a group of sheep. This is a metaphor for a church or congregation. In some languages it may be more natural and understandable to make the meaning clear. For example:

flock ⌊of sheep⌋
-or-
God’s people

that is among you: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that is among you in this context means “that is your responsibility.” God had given each spiritual leader the responsibility of taking care of other Christians. Other ways to translate this include:

entrusted to you (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
for whom you are responsible (New Century Version)
-or-
that is under your care (New International Version)

Try to translate using an expression that can be used both of a shepherd looking after his sheep and of a spiritual leader looking after Christians.

5:2b

watching over them not out of compulsion: In some languages it may be natural to translate this as one simple command. Be careful, however, to make it clear that Peter was not forbidding people to serve as overseers. He was forbidding them to serve with the wrong motives. For example:

do not serve as overseers because you are forced/obliged to

watching over them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as watching over is another term describing the work of church leaders and is similar in meaning to “shepherd.”

There is a textual problem here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts contain the word translated as watching over. For example:

exercising oversight (New American Standard Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, New American Standard Bible)

(2) Some Greek manuscripts do not contain the word translated as watching over. For example:

do it… (Revised English Bible)

(Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), since the majority of modern versions include this word.

not out of compulsion: In Peter’s day, church members sometimes chose their own overseers and sometimes the apostles appointed them. People did not just volunteer to be overseers. So Peter was telling the people who were chosen not to serve out of a sense of obligation, as if they had no choice. Some other ways to translate this phrase include, negatively and positively:

Don’t do this because you have to (God’s Word)
-or-
do it voluntarily (CEB)

5:2c

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces a contrast to the words “not because you must” in the previous verse part. Express this contrast in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Instead (NIRV)

because it is God’s will: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because it is God’s will is literally “willingly according to God.” Peter is telling the elders to serve willingly because this is what God wants them to do. For example:

Watch over it willingly…because you are eager to serve God (New Living Translation (2004))

Other ways of translating these words include:

Do it willingly in order to please God (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
because you are willing, as God wants you to be (New International Version)

it is God’s will: There is a textual problem with the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it is God’s will, which is literally “willingly according to God”:

(1) Some Greek texts have the words “according to God.” For example:

willingly, as God would have you (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, New American Standard Bible)

(2) Some Greek texts do not have the words “according to God.”

(Revised Standard Version, King James Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow option (1), with the majority of English versions.

Other ways of translating these words include:

because you are willing, as God wants you to be (New International Version)
-or-
because you want…. That is how God wants it (New Century Version)

General Comment on 5:2b–c

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of these verse parts and put the positive command first. For example:

2c Do it willingly in order to please God, 2b and not simply because you think you must. (Contemporary English Version)

5:2d

out of greed: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates with the phrase out of greed is an adverb that combines the words for “shame” and “gain.” It describes a motivation that is shameful: wanting to make as much money as possible. Peter was not forbidding church leaders to receive wages. He was saying that they should not become leaders for the sake of the money they could receive. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

not for what you will get out of it (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
not for shameful gain (English Standard Version)

out of eagerness: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible has translated with the phrase out of eagerness is literally “eagerly.” If your language would not naturally use an abstract noun such as eagerness, you could translate this as “eagerly,” as several English versions do (English Standard Version, NET Bible, New King James Version, New Revised Standard Version). It may also be helpful in your language to say what Peter wants the elders to do out of eagerness. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

eager to serve (New International Version)
-or-
happy to serve (New Century Version)

General Comment on 5:2d

In some languages it may be natural to translate this with the positive idea first:

be eager to serve, and not greedy for money
-or-
Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 1:8

1:8a

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him: The Christians to whom Peter wrote this letter had not seen Jesus when he was on earth. However, they loved him. It may be helpful to make this a separate sentence. Other ways to translate it are:

You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. (New Century Version)
-or-
You love ⌊Jesus Christ⌋ although you have not seen him.

Him: Him refers to Jesus Christ. In some languages it may be more natural to repeat his name here. For example:

You have not seen ⌊Jesus Christ⌋

In this letter, Peter does not use the name “Jesus” without “Christ.” He also does not use only “Christ” until 1:11, where he refers to Christ before he became a human being. Therefore, if you make his name explicit here, it is best to say “Jesus Christ.”

love: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love means that a person values and reveres Jesus Christ (and God) with gratitude and affection. He is devoted and loyal to Christ. Use a natural expression or idiom for this word.

1:8b

and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him: This verse part is similar in meaning to 1:8a. The believers were trusting Jesus Christ without being able to see him. It may be helpful to make this a separate sentence. Other ways to translate it are:

You do not see him now, but still you believe in him.
-or-
You believe in Jesus Christ, even though you do not see him now.

believe in Him: To believe in Jesus means to “entrust oneself” to Jesus, that is, “to place oneself in the complete care” of Jesus. Some other ways to translate this are:

rely/depend on
-or-
trust in
-or-
trust in and commit to
-or-
have confidence in

Your language may use an idiom for this meaning.

General Comment on 1:8a–b

The statements in 1:8a and 1:8b are similar. In some languages it may be helpful to translate each statement in a parallel way. For example:

You have never seen Jesus Christ, yet you love him.

You do not see him now, yet you believe in him.

In some languages it may be more natural to put the two negative and the two positive statements in 1:8a–b together. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

You have never seen Jesus, and you don’t see him now. But still you love him and have faith in him… (Contemporary English Version)

1:8c

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and introduces what happens as a result of 1:8a–b. The NET Bible says:

and so…

rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy: In Greek, this part of the verse is literally, “you rejoice with joy inexpressible and glorious.” This phrase emphasizes the great joy that the believers feel. They are so joyful that they are not able to describe it. Use a natural way to express this emphasis in your language. Here are some ways to say this:

you are wonderfully happy, more than you can express
-or-
no words can tell how glad and happy you are (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words (God’s Word)

inexpressible: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translate as inexpressible occurs only here in the New Testament. Peter meant that the joy was so great and wonderful that no one could describe it adequately in words. Other ways to say this include:

indescribable (NET Bible)
-or-
cannot be described (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
which words cannot express (Good News Translation)

glorious: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glorious is literally “having been glorified/exalted.” This is a passive verbal form. The joy was a special kind of joy that came from their faith in Jesus. If you have an expression that describes joy that comes from something wonderful or magnificent, you may be able to use it here. Other ways to say this are:

full of glory (New Century Version)
-or-
exalted (Revised Standard Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2:15

2:15

Peter wanted the Christians to behave so well that their unbelieving neighbors would not be able to criticize them.

In some languages it may be natural to break this verse up into two sentences. For example:

For it is God’s will that you should do good. In this way you will silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

2:15a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here means “because.” It introduces the reason why the believers should submit to their civil rulers.

it is God’s will that: The phrase God’s will here refers to the thing that God wants to happen. In some languages it may be necessary to translate God’s will with a verb phrase. Here is another way to translate this:

for God wants you to… (NET Bible)

2:15b

by doing good: This is the means by which God’s will could be carried out. In some languages it may be natural to say something like:

you should do good and so…

doing good: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as doing good is from the same word that is translated as “those who do right” in 2:14b. The Berean Standard Bible has changed from “right” to good for the sake of variety, in accordance with good English style. In your translation, use the same or a different word according to what is most natural in your language.

2:15c

you should silence the ignorance of foolish men: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek phrase literally here by saying silence the ignorance. The Revised Standard Version says similarly “you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” But in many languages, neither “ignorance” nor “ignorant talk” (New International Version, Good News Translation) may be things that can be silenced. It may be more natural to speak of silencing people. For example:

make foolish people stop saying such ignorant things
-or-
silence foolish and ignorant people

you should silence: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you should silence in this context refers to making it morally impossible rather than physically impossible for people to say bad things. The truth should be so obvious that people would be ashamed to keep talking badly about the believers. Other ways to translate this include:

you should cause those foolish people to fall silent
-or-
you should make it impossible for foolish people to say…

the ignorance: By ignorance, the Berean Standard Bible is actually referring to speech that is not based on knowledge of the facts. The person who is speaking does not know the truth. So in some languages it may be necessary to translate this as:

the talk/words of ignorant people

It is implied that what these people were saying was false and that they were saying bad things about the believers. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

the ⌊false⌋ things that ignorant people are saying ⌊about you⌋

foolish men: The word foolish means lacking good sense.

men: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as men means people in general and refers to anyone who was speaking evil about believers.

General Comment on 2:15a–c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of verse parts b and c. For example:

15a For it is God’s will that 15c you should cause foolish people to stop saying wrong things about you. 15b You can do this by doing good/right.
-or-
For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do. (Good News Translation)
-or-
God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 3:22

3:22a

who has gone into heaven: Jesus Christ went into heaven forty days after he came alive from the dead. This is described in Acts 1:1–10.

heaven: The word heaven here refers to the dwelling place of God, outside our universe. Some other ways to translate this word are:

the place of God
-or-
the place where God lives

and is at the right hand of God: Peter did not say whether Jesus was standing or sitting at God’s right hand. If it is necessary for you to make this explicit, it is recommended that you supply the information that he is seated (see Ephesians 1:20 and Colossians 3:1). For example:

and is ⌊sitting/seated⌋ at God’s right hand

right hand: This was the most important position in Jewish culture, but in other cultures the left side is the more important. If neither side is more important in your culture, you could translate right hand as:

the place of ⌊highest⌋ honor

3:22b

with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him: In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a separate clause with its own verb:

and angels, authorities and powers submit to him

angels, authorities, and powers: The phrase angels, authorities, and powers includes all supernatural beings, whether good or bad.

angels: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as angels means “messengers.” It refers here to spirit beings who serve God. Sometimes God sends an angel to tell a message to human beings. He also sends angels to serve him in other ways. Some ways to translate this term are:

• Use a descriptive word or phrase. For example:

messengers ⌊from God/heaven⌋
-or-

⌊good/holy⌋ spirit-beings

• Use a local term that fits the biblical meaning.

• In some areas the churches may already be using a borrowed term or a transliterated word for “angel.” Be sure that this term fits the biblical meaning. If some people do not understand the right meaning from this term, you may need to indicate the meaning in some way. For example:

an angelos messenger ⌊from God⌋
-or-
a sacred angelos spirit

Be sure that your term for “angel” is different from your terms for “prophet” and “apostle.”

authorities, and powers: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as authorities, and powers refers to supernatural forces that were believed to affect the lives of people. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

spirits ⌊in the sky⌋ who have authority and power
-or-
supernatural beings who have authority and power

subject to Him: The phrase subject to him here means “recognizing Christ’s authority”; that is, obeying him. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

under his control (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers (Good News Translation)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2018