FOOTNOTES:

^a The Greek just says ‘Asia’ but it refers to a Roman province named ‘Asia,’ not the continent.

^b This order of wording in verses 1 and 2 indicates that it is being ‘scattered as immigrants’ that is ‘according to/based on God’s foreknowledge’ rather than the more common order that indicates it is their chosenness being described. This order more closely fits the order of the Greek. However, Greek word order is much more flexible than English word order. The stronger indication that this order best reflects the meaning of the Greek is that ‘chosen’ is an adjective while ‘scattered’ is a verb. Prepositional phrases typically modify verbs, and unless some other contextual clue points away from it, it should be assumed that the verb is in view.

^c Traditionally, ‘being sanctified’ or ‘being set apart’

^d The word ‘people’ has been added in English for clarity. The action ‘sprinkling’ means to do so to someone or something, but the recipient of the action is not specified in the Greek. It is clear, however, that the recipients of this letter are intended to do the ‘sprinkling.’

^e There seem to be two ways to understand this image of ‘sprinkling people with the blood of Jesus Christ.’

^f All instances of ‘you’ and ‘your’ are plural, being directed to the community as a group.

^g Traditionally, ‘blessed.’ This word eulogetos, literally means ‘well-spoken-of.’

^h The term ‘mercy’ here, if it is understood to mean not punishing when a punishment is deserved, is not the best translation for this word. The word eleos is used throughout the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, to translate the Hebrew word hesed. Hesed is a theologically significant word that is translated various ways, including ‘lovingkindness,’ ‘loyal love,’ ‘covenant faithfulness,’ or sometimes just ‘love.’ While it is sometimes used to describe what a human is doing, it is usually used in reference to God, specifically in relation to his faithful love toward the people of God, staying present with them and honoring his role in providing and protecting and caring for them regardless of whether they reciprocate.

ⁱ Or ‘protection’ or ‘rescue’ or ‘preservation’ or ‘salvation’ or ‘healing’ or any number of words that refer to preserving wellbeing, whether as a response to danger or hardship or as preventing danger or hardship.

^j Traditionally, ‘souls.’ This word refers to a ‘living being’ or the ‘inner self’ or the ‘life that flows within a living being’ and is often associated with the breath, though it is not the word used for the breath itself.

^k Or ‘within’

^l The Greek is ‘neuter,’ so it would most literally be ‘it.’ In Hebrew, ‘spirit’ or ‘life-breath’ is feminine. The NRSV and the KJV translate it as ‘it.’ The NET, ESV, NASB, NIV, and NKJV all translate it as masculine. If those major translations can arbitrarily change it to masculine to fit their prejudices, it is at least as appropriate to translate it feminine here to match the Hebrew origins of the concept.

^m What is translated as ‘dedicated for sacred purposes’ has more traditionally been translated as ‘holy.’ This longer phrase is the same meaning, serving as a definition for the usually misunderstood term ‘holy.’

ⁿ Quotation of Leviticus 19:2

^o Or ‘deference.’ This phrase, ‘about treating people with respect’ is very literally ‘for deference/respect/fear.’ Other translations handle it in different ways, such as “live out the time … in reverence” (NET), “live your lives … in reverent fear” (NIV), “conduct yourselves in fear” (NASB), “conduct yourselves with fear” (ESV), “live in reverent fear” (NRSV), “pass the time … in fear” (KJV).

^p Or ‘reckless’ or ‘useless’ or ‘violent’ or ‘irresponsible’

^q Or ‘from ancestors’

^r Traditionally, ‘familial caring’ is ‘brotherly love.’

^s In the culture of the day, the heart represented desire and motivation, not all emotions.

^t Traditionally, ‘Word.’ The Greek word is logos. While ‘word’ is one of a long list of possible ways to translate logos, there is strong historical precedent for translating it as ‘conversation.’ According to Victoria Loorz in Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred (2021), “Up until the fourth century, Boyle points out, theologians and bishops and translators consistently translated the Greek word logos into Latin, the language of the church, as sermo, which means not ‘word’ but ‘conversation.’ Sermo indicates not a one-way sermon but a lively discourse, a dialogue, a manner of speaking back and forth: a conversation. A noun created from the root verb serō, which means to weave or join, sermo is the intimate living of life together, living among, familiarity, intimate conversation, the act of living with. Sermo was the Latin translation that best fit the meaning of logos” (p. 109). It seems to be ‘conversation’ or ‘discussion’ or ‘what was discussed’ or ‘what was said in the conversation.’ A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition (BDAG) lists the definition of logos as “a communication whereby the mind finds expression.” Incorporating this definition into the understanding described by Loorz leads to the experience of God communicating the divine consciousness in a way meant to be understood in a sacred conversation that transforms the consciousness of those in conversation with God.’

^u Traditionally, ‘flesh’

^v Traditionally, ‘glory’

^w Traditionally, ‘the word of the Lord.’ This is from the Greek rema, not logos. It can mean ‘word’ but more literally means ‘utterance,’ meaning whatever is spoken or comes vocally from the mouth.

^x Quotation of Isaiah 40:6, 8