1 Peter 1:20
New International Version
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

New Living Translation
God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

English Standard Version
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Berean Standard Bible
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

Berean Literal Bible
having been foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but having been revealed in the last times for the sake of you,

King James Bible
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

New King James Version
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

New American Standard Bible
For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

NASB 1995
For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

NASB 1977
For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

Legacy Standard Bible
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but appeared in these last times for the sake of you

Amplified Bible
For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake

Christian Standard Bible
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you

American Standard Version
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake,

Contemporary English Version
Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days.

English Revised Version
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time.

Good News Translation
He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake.

International Standard Version
On the one hand, he was foreknown before the creation of the world, but on the other hand, he was revealed at the end of time for your sake.

Majority Standard Bible
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

NET Bible
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake.

New Heart English Bible
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake,

Webster's Bible Translation
Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you,

Weymouth New Testament
He was pre-destined indeed to this work, even before the creation of the world, but has been plainly manifested in these last days for the sake of you who, through Him,

World English Bible
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, and revealed in the last times because of you,

Berean Literal Bible
having been foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but having been revealed in the last times for the sake of you,

Young's Literal Translation
foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the last times because of you,

Smith's Literal Translation
Known truly before the foundation of the world, and made manifest in the last times for you,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the last times for you,

Catholic Public Domain Version
foreknown, certainly, before the foundation of the world, and made manifest in these latter times for your sake.

New American Bible
He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you,

New Revised Standard Version
He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Who verily was foreordained for this very purpose, before the foundation of the world, and was manifest in these last times, for your sakes,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He was appointed beforehand to this before the foundation of the world and was manifested at the end of times for you;
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
who was indeed foreordained before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you,

Godbey New Testament
foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but having been made manifest at the last of the times for the sake of you,

Haweis New Testament
who was indeed predestined before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for us,

Mace New Testament
who was destin'd before the creation of the world, tho' 'tis of late only that he has appear'd, upon your account:

Weymouth New Testament
He was pre-destined indeed to this work, even before the creation of the world, but has been plainly manifested in these last days for the sake of you who, through Him,

Worrell New Testament
foreknown, indeed, from a founding of a world, but manifested in the end of the times for you,

Worsley New Testament
who was indeed appointed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times, for your sakes,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Call to Holiness
19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake. 21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.…

Cross References
John 17:24
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

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 13:8
And 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 slain.

Acts 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.

Romans 16:25-26
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past / but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith—

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.

Titus 1:2
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

Colossians 1:26
the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.

Hebrews 9:26
Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. / He was with God in the beginning. / Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

Isaiah 53:11
After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Psalm 22:31
They will come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn—all that He has done.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.


Treasury of Scripture

Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

verily.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Proverbs 8:23
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Micah 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

but.

Acts 3:25,26
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed…

Colossians 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

1 John 1:2
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

in.

Galatians 4:4
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Ephesians 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Hebrews 1:2
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

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1 Peter 1
1. Peter praises God for his manifold spiritual graces;
10. showing that the salvation in Christ the fulfillment of prophesy;
13. and exhorts them accordingly to be holy.














He was known
The phrase "He was known" refers to the pre-existence and foreknowledge of Jesus Christ. The Greek word used here is "proginosko," which means to know beforehand. This indicates that Jesus was not an afterthought in God's plan but was known and chosen before the foundation of the world. This highlights the eternal nature of Christ and God's sovereign plan for salvation. It is a reminder of the divine orchestration and intentionality behind the coming of Christ, emphasizing that God's redemptive plan was established long before human history began.

before the foundation of the world
This phrase underscores the eternal nature of God's plan. The "foundation of the world" refers to the creation of the universe. The Greek word "katabole" is used here, which means a laying down or a founding. This suggests that God's plan for salvation through Jesus Christ was established before the creation itself. It speaks to the omniscience and omnipotence of God, who, in His infinite wisdom, prepared a way for redemption even before humanity's fall into sin. This provides believers with assurance of God's unchanging purpose and His control over history.

but was revealed
The phrase "but was revealed" indicates the manifestation of Jesus Christ in human history. The Greek word "phaneroo" means to make visible or to make known what was hidden. This revelation occurred through the incarnation of Christ, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). It signifies the transition from God's eternal plan to its fulfillment in time, highlighting the momentous event of God entering human history in the person of Jesus. This revelation is central to the Christian faith, as it marks the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the tangible expression of God's love and grace.

in these last times
The phrase "in these last times" refers to the eschatological period initiated by the coming of Christ. The Greek term "eschatos" means last or final, indicating the culmination of God's redemptive work. This period is characterized by the fulfillment of God's promises and the establishment of the new covenant through Jesus. It is a time of grace and salvation, where the kingdom of God is both already present and not yet fully realized. For believers, this phrase serves as a reminder of the urgency and significance of the present age, encouraging them to live in anticipation of Christ's return.

for your sake
The phrase "for your sake" personalizes the redemptive work of Christ. It emphasizes that the revelation and sacrifice of Jesus were done with the individual believer in mind. The Greek word "humon" is used here, which is a plural form of "you," indicating that this message is for all believers collectively. This highlights the personal nature of God's love and the specific intention behind Christ's mission. It serves as a powerful reminder of the value and worth of each believer in the eyes of God, motivating them to live in gratitude and devotion to the One who gave Himself for their salvation.

(20) Who verily was foreordained.--There is a sharp contrast intended between the two clauses of this verse, and in the Greek the tenses are different. "Who had been foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, but for your benefit was (only) pointed out at the end of the times." St, Peter is returning once more to the great argument of 1Peter 1:10-12, "Do not treat your share in the gospel liberation as if it were, at best, a piece of good luck, and so learn to despise it. Neither think of it as if Paul and Silvanus were preaching to you a novel invention at discord with the spirit of the old covenant, under which you were bred. God knew from all eternity who was to be His Messiah and His Lamb, but for your sakes the particular and personal declaration of Him was reserved till now. For you has been kept the revelation of a secret which underlay the whole Old Testament system." The grammatical antecedent of the relative "who verily" is not "lamb," but "Christ;" and the word for "foreordained" is, literally, foreknown, only as in 1Peter 1:2 (see Note), with the additional notion of coming to a decision. We see that St. Peter's doctrine has not changed since the great day of Pentecost (Acts 2:23). The foreknowledge (as that passage would show) includes not only the knowledge and decision that Jesus should be the Christ, but that the Christ's history should be what it was; and this seems to involve not only the doctrine that the Incarnation was no mere episode, consequent upon the Fall of man, but also the doctrine that, "before the foundation of the world," God had foreknown, and predecided to allow, the Fall itself. The same doctrine seems to be involved in Revelation 13:8, but only indirectly, because there the words "from the foundation of the world," are to be attached, not to the word "slain," but to the word "written."

Was manifest.--Better, was manifested, i.e., unambiguously shown, pointed out. The context shows that it does not simply mean the visible life of the Incarnate Word among men, as in 1Timothy 3:16; 1John 3:5; but that the Messiah and Lamb of God was pointed out as being identical with the Man Jesus. And this was the work of John the Baptist, to say of the particular Person whom he saw walking by Jordan, "Behold the Lamb." So St. John Baptist himself described his mission: "The whole purpose of my coming was that He might be manifested, singled out and shown to Israel," as the Person round whom all their Messianic hopes were gathered (John 1:31). . . .

Verse 20. - Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world; rather, as in the Revised Version, who was foreknown indeed; literally, who hath been fore known. But the foreknowledge of God implies the exercise of his will, therefore the "foreordained" of the Authorized Version, though not here an exact translation, is true in doctrine. St. Peter had asserted the same great truth in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:23; comp. also Acts 3:18 and Acts 4:28). He had heard the words, "before the foundation of the world," again and again from the lips of Christ; he may possibly have read them in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:4). The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ were not the result of a change of purpose to meet unforeseen circumstances; they were foreseen and foreordained in the eternal counsels of God. Those counsels are wholly above the range of our understanding; we cannot see through the veil of mystery which surrounds them; we cannot fathom the awful necessities which they imply. But was manifest in these last times for you; rather, as in the Revised Version, with the best manuscripts, was manifested at the end of the times for your sake. The aorist (φανερωθέντος) marks the Incarnation as an event which took place in time; the purpose of God was eternal, before all time. For the phrase, "at the end of the times" (ἐπ ἐσχάτου τών χρόνων), compare the reading of the most ancient manuscripts in Hebrews 1:1 (ἐπ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων, "at the end of these days"); also in Jude 1:8 (ἐπ ἐσχάτου χρόνου). "This is the last time," St. John says; or, rather, "the last hour (ἐσχάτη ὥρα)" (1 John 2:18); the last period in the development of God's dealings with mankind is the time which intervenes between the first and the second advents of Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
He was known before
προεγνωσμένου (proegnōsmenou)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4267: To know beforehand, foreknow. From pro and ginosko; to know beforehand, i.e. Foresee.

[the] foundation
καταβολῆς (katabolēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2602: From kataballo; a deposition, i.e. Founding; figuratively, conception.

of [the] world,
κόσμου (kosmou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

was revealed
φανερωθέντος (phanerōthentos)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5319: To make clear (visible, manifest), make known. From phaneros; to render apparent.

in
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

last
ἐσχάτου (eschatou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2078: Last, at the last, finally, till the end. A superlative probably from echo; farthest, final.

times
χρόνων (chronōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 5550: A space of time or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay.

for your sake.
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.


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NT Letters: 1 Peter 1:20 Who was foreknown indeed before the foundation (1 Pet. 1P iP i Pet)
1 Peter 1:19
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