Peter blesses God for his manifold spiritual graces, 1-9; showing that salvation in Christ is an object of deepest interest to the prophets and to angels, 10-12; and exhorts them accordingly to a godly conversation, since they are now born anew by the word of God, 13-25.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) you are in heaviness through manifold temptations, 7 So that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though tried with fire, might be found to praise, honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him, in whom, though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you, 11 Searching for what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. 12 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they ministered the things which are now reported to you by those who have preached the gospel to you through the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven—which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. 15 But as he who has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of deportment, 16 Because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
17 And if you call on the Father, who, without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 18 For you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain course of life received by tradition from your fathers, 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He truly was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you, 21 Who, by him, believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brothers, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently, 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever. 24 For,
"all flesh is as grass,/
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass./
The grass withers and its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever."
This is the word which was the gospel preached to you.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 1st Peter, Chapter 1[➚]
[v.12] - "the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven" - Reference, John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7.
[v.16a] - Quoting Leviticus 11:44 (LXX). See also, Leviticus 11:45. Reference, Leviticus 19:2.
[v.16b] - The part of this verse that is italicized is a quote from the Old Testament. This convention is used throughout the New Testament.
[v.17] - "without respect of persons" - Reference, Deuteronomy 10:17; 2nd Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19; Matthew 22:16; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25.
[v.18-19] - Reference, Acts 20:28; 1st Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; Titus 2:14; 1st Peter 3:18; Revelation 5:9.
[v.24-25] - Quoting Isaiah 40:6-8 (LXX—paraphrased).
[v.25] - "This is the word which was the gospel preached to you" - A different, and probably better, rendering of this sentence would be, "This is the word which was evangelized to you." The Greek word, ευαγγελισθεν, euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo), is the word from which the English word evangelize comes. And to evangelize is to, "instruct in the gospel; to preach the gospel to, and convert to a belief of the gospel."