1 Peter 1:20
in 1 Peter 1He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake,
KJV
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
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This verse in 1 Peter 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWho verily was foreordained - Προεγνωσμενου· Foreknown; appointed in the Divine purpose to be sent into the world, because infinitely approved by the Divine justice. Before the foundation of the world - Before the law was given, or any sacrifice prescribed by it. Its whole sacrificial system was appointed in reference to this foreappointed Lamb, and consequently from him derived all its significance and virtue. The phrase καταβολη κοσμου, foundation of the world, occurs often in the New Testament, and is supposed by some learned men and good critics to signify the commencement of the Jewish state.
This site's exposition
before the foundation of the world
on 1 Peter 1:20-21
Christ was known before the foundation of the world and revealed in the last times, the cross set in a plan older than creation. Faith and hope rest on the God who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
He was indeed predetermined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Peter …
In this redemption, the blood of Christ was given, as it were, as a price for us, by accepting which the devil was not enriched, but bound: that we might be loosened from his bonds, and that he might not with himself involve in the meshes of sins, and so deliver to the destruction of the second and eternal death, any one of those whom Christ, free from all debt, had redeemed by pouring out His own blood unindebtedly; but that they who belong to the grace of Christ, foreknown, and predestinated, and elected before the foundation of the world should only so far die as Christ Himself died for them, i.e. only by the death of the flesh, not of the spirit.
We have been predestined by God, before the world was, (to arise) in the extreme end of the times. And so we are trained by God for the purpose of chastising, and (so to say) emasculating, the world.
"First of all, sir," I said, "explain this to me: What is the meaning of the rock and the gate?" "This rock," he answered, "and this gate are the Son of God." "How, sir?" I said; "the rock is old, and the gate is new." "Listen," he said, "and understand, O ignorant man. The Son of God is older than all His creatures, so that He was a fellow-councillor with the Father in His work of creation: for this reason is He old." "And why is the gate new, sir?" I said. "Because," he answered, "He became manifest in the last days of the dispensation: for this reason the gate was made new, that they who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God."
A commentator
Pseudo-ClementSecond Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement) · Written before 400.
proposed
I think not that you are ignorant that the living church is the body of Christ (for the Scripture, says, "God created man male and female;" [Genesis 1:27; cf. Ephesians 5:22-23] the male is Christ, the female the church,) and that the Books and the …
5 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
"Verily foreknown before the foundation of the world." [1 Peter 1:20] Inasmuch as He was foreknown before every creature, because He was Christ. "But manifested in the last times" by the generation of a body.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Having spoken of the death of Christ, the apostle added to this a word also about the resurrection. For he fears lest the newly converted might incline again toward unbelief because the sufferings of Christ are humiliating. He adds also that the mystery of Christ …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Who verily was foreordained,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Peter's language in the history corresponds with this here: an undesigned coincidence and mark of genuineness. Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising. God's foreordaining of the Redeemer refutes the slander that, on the Christian theory, there is a period of four thousand years of nothing but an incensed God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world - That is, it was foreordained, or predetermined, that he should be the great stoning Sacrifice for sin. On the meaning of the word “foreordained,” (προγινώσκω proginōskō,) see Rom 8:29. The word is rendered which knew, Act 26:5; foreknew and foreknow, Rom 8:29; Rom 11:2; foreordained, 1Pe 1:20; and know before, 2Pe 2:17. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. The sense is, that the plan was formed, and the arrangements made for the atonement, before the world was created. Before the foundation of the world - That is, from eternity. It was before man was formed; before the earth was made; before any of the material universe was brought into being; before the angels were created. Compare the Mat 25:34 note; Joh 17:24 note; Eph 1:4 note. But was manifest - Was revealed. See the notes at 1Ti 3:16. In these last times - In this, the last dispensation of things on the earth. See the notes at Heb 1:2. For you - For your benefit or advantage. See the notes at 1Pe 1:12. It follows from what is said in this verse: (1) That the atonement was not an afterthought on the part of God. It entered into his plan when he made the world, and was revolved in his purposes from eternity. (2) It was not a device to supply a defect in the system; that is, it was not adopted because the system did not work well, or because God had been disappointed. It was arranged before man was created, and when none but God could know whether he would stand or fall. (3) The creation of the earth must have had some reference to this plan of redemption, and that plan must have been regarded as in itself so glorious, and so desirable, that it was deemed best to bring the world into existence that the plan might be developed, though it would involve the certainty that the race would fall, and that many would perish. […]
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προεγνωσμένου | proegnosmenou | foreknown | G4267 → | |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| πρὸ | pro | before | G4253 → | |
| καταβολῆς | kataboles | [the] foundation | G2602 → | |
| κόσμου, | kosmou | [the] world, | G2889 → | 185 times |
| φανερωθέντος | phanerothentos | having been revealed | G5319 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | in | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ἐσχάτου | eschatou | [this] last | G2078 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χρόνων | chronon | times | G5550 → | 53 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | for the sake of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
προεγνωσμένουforeknown
proegnosmenouG4267 →
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
πρὸbefore
proG4253 →
καταβολῆς[the] foundation
katabolesG2602 →
κόσμου,[the] world,
kosmouG2889 →185 times
φανερωθέντοςhaving been revealed
phanerothentosG5319 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπ᾽in
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
ἐσχάτου[this] last
eschatouG2078 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
χρόνωνtimes
chrononG5550 →53 times
δι᾽for the sake of
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 13:8And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was…
it leads to
- Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 1:19–20
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
- Ephesians 1:4
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- Revelation 17:8
The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose…
- Revelation 3:5
Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His…
- Matthew 25:34
Through
Ephesians 1:4For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Romans 8:28–30
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
- 2 Timothy 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies31
On this verse
On this chapter
- Ammon
- Born of the Spirit
- Clean and Unclean
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Fire
- Holiness and Purity
Show the next 6 titles
- Be Holy, Because I Am Holy
- A Living Hope
- Hope in the Cell
- The Words Tom and Tamim
- Money, Law and Power
- Not My People becomes My People
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
About 1 Peter
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON THE TRINITY 13.15; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on 1 Peter; Pseudo-Clement, Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement); Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude 9; Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Book II and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Peter.