What does this Bible passage say?

So far we have learned that our hope from salvation by Jesus Christ comes from Our Experience of Salvation (1 Peter 1:3–12) and Our Response to Salvation (1 Peter 1:13–25). 

In this lesson we will see that hope from salvation by Jesus Christ also comes from Our Growth in Salvation (1 Peter 2:1-10).

Remember that our hope in Jesus Christ motivates our faith in Jesus Christ.  The more our hope grows, the more our faith grows, and that is pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:5).

Let’s grow our hope …

This passage teaches us that we can grow in our salvation by:

• Craving The Word of God ^(2:1-3)  which helps us grow in our knowledge of Jesus. This paragraph is prescriptive – it instructs us.
• Building Upon the Son of God ^(2:4-8) which helps us grow in our relationship in Jesus. This paragraph is descriptive – it informs us.
• Serving in the Family of God ^(2:9-10) which helps us grow in our service with Jesus. This paragraph has descriptive information that helps us understand the prescriptive nature of the paragraph (in v. 9f, “so that you can …”).

Read 1 Peter 2:1-10 slowly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully from your own Bible and the Study Text provided on this web page.

You may also find reading from other translations helpful, such as these on the Blue Letter Bible website:

• Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
• New Living Translation (NLT)

Regarding verses 1-3:

• What does it mean to “crave” something?
• What are we to crave?

Regarding verses 4-8:

• What is a “cornerstone”?
• What does this passage say about this cornerstone?

Regarding verses 9-10:

• How is the family of God described?
• What is the family of God supposed to do?

Bible Study Passage

¹

Crave The Word of God ^(2:1-3)

 Therefore, stopping

all meanness,

and all deception,

and hypocrisy,

and envy,

and all slander, 

² crave the pure, spiritual milk of the word,

like newborn babies crave their mother’s milk,

so that you may grow in your salvation, 

³ assuming you have actually experienced the kindness of the Lord. 

⁴

Build Upon the Son of God ^(2:4-8)

 Every time you come to Him 

who is the living stone,

rejected by men as worthless,

but chosen and precious in God’s sight, 

⁵ you yourselves are being built up, 

  like living stones,

as a spiritual house,

into a holy priesthood,

to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

⁶ As it is written in the Scripture, God said,

“I chose a valuable stone,

which I placed as the cornerstone in Zion;

and anyone who trusts in Him

will never ever be disappointed.” 

⁷ Therefore, He is of precious value for you who trust Him.

 But for those who do not trust Him,

“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” 

⁸ And, 

“He is the stone that causes people to stumble, the rock that makes them fall.”

They were destined to stumble and fall because they do not obey God’s word. 

⁹

Serve in the Family of God ^(2:9-10)

 But you are

a chosen family,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

God’s own people,

so that you can proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you

out of darkness

into His wonderful light. 

¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy;

now you have received God’s mercy.”

What did this Bible passage mean
to the people of its day?

What is the message
of this Bible passage
for people today?

(Learn about them, then)

Keeping in mind that the people Peter wrote to: 

• were living as refugees, scattered across five Roman provinces, (1 Peter 1:1)
• chosen according to the pre-planned purpose of God, (1 Peter 1:1-2)
• and grieved by various trials; (1 Peter 1:6)

What did God want or not want them to know, feel, think, say or do?

What effect do you think this passage had on those people back then?

(Learn for us, now)

(Demonstrates our hope – 1 Peter 3:14–17)

What do believers in Jesus today have in common with the believers in Jesus Peter wrote to back then?

What does God want or not want us to know, feel, think, say or do?

How can/should/must I do to participate with God according to this study passage? (Click HERE for ways that can help you respond to God’s word.)

How will this passage grow your hope and faith in Jesus Christ?