1 Peter 2 24

1 Peter 2:24 kjv

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:24 nkjv

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness? by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Peter 2:24 niv

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

1 Peter 2:24 esv

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 2:24 nlt

He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.

1 Peter 2 verses

1 Peter 2 24 Meaning

1 Peter 2:24 concisely summarizes the core of the Gospel: Jesus Christ's vicarious suffering and death on the cross served to atone for humanity's sins, enabling believers to be spiritually delivered from sin's power and live a life transformed by righteousness, thereby experiencing profound spiritual healing from the wounds of sin. It encapsulates substitution, redemption, and sanctification.

1 Peter 2 24 Context

1 Peter chapter 2 builds upon the theme of the new identity and behavior of believers in Christ. Peter emphasizes the spiritual privileges of God's people as a holy priesthood and a chosen race (vv. 4-10). He then calls them to live as "strangers and pilgrims" among Gentiles, maintaining good conduct so that others may glorify God (vv. 11-12). This leads to exhortations regarding submission to human authority (vv. 13-17) and specifically to servants submitting to their masters, even unfair ones (vv. 18-20). In verse 21, Peter presents Christ's innocent suffering as the supreme example for believers, teaching them to endure undeserved suffering patiently, trusting in God. Verse 24 is the theological foundation for this endurance and the transformed life Peter calls for, explaining why Christ suffered—not just as an example, but as an atoning sacrifice for sin and a source of radical spiritual change. The historical context involves dispersed believers facing persecution and societal pressures in Asia Minor, to whom Peter offers encouragement rooted in Christ's completed work.

1 Peter 2 24 Word analysis

• who Himself (ὃς αὐτός - hos autos): An emphatic construction in Greek, emphasizing that it was Jesus Himself, in His own person, without proxy, who bore this burden. This highlights the personal and direct nature of His redemptive act.
• bore (ἀνήνεγκεν - anēnenken): The verb anaphero literally means "to carry up" or "to bear up." It is often used in the Greek Old Testament for bringing sacrifices up to the altar (e.g., Lev 14:20). Here, it vividly conveys Christ as both the sacrifice and the One who carries the immense weight of sins.
• our sins (τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν - tas hamartias hēmōn): "Our" (humanity's, collective believers') implies the universality and personal relevance of Christ's act. "Sins" in the plural points to the multiplicity and variety of individual transgressions, indicating that no sin is left unaddressed by His atonement.
• in His own body (ἐν τῷ σώματι αὐτοῦ - en tō sōmati autou): This specifies the physical, tangible reality of the bearing of sins. It was not a symbolic or spiritual bearing only, but through the Incarnation, Christ physically endured the consequence of sin through pain and death, making His sacrifice concrete and real.
• on the tree (ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον - epi to xylon): "Tree" (often referring to a beam of wood or gibbet) is a specific, potent term for the cross used by early Christians (e.g., Acts 5:30; 10:39). It echoes Deut 21:23, where hanging on a tree signified a divine curse, thereby affirming that Christ became a curse for us.
• that we (ἵνα ἡμεῖς - hina hēmeis): This introduces a strong purpose clause. Christ's actions had a deliberate goal related to believers, outlining the transformative outcome intended by His suffering.
• having died (ἀπογενόμενοι - apogenomenoi): An aorist participle, meaning "having ceased to be" or "having become separated from." It describes a decisive, past act by which believers disassociate from sin's power and domain. This is not a physical death but a spiritual reckoning with sin, breaking its dominion.
• to sins (ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις - tais hamartiais): Dative case, indicating relation or reference. It specifies that the "dying" is to or in relation to sins, implying a renunciation of a former lifestyle ruled by transgression.
• might live (ζήσωμεν - zēsōmen): An aorist subjunctive, denoting potential or purpose. It signifies a new, dynamic, and purposeful spiritual existence resulting from Christ's death. It points to life lived actively in response to God's will.
• for righteousness (τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ - tē dikaiosynē): Dative case, indicating purpose or result. Believers are liberated from sin's grip in order that they might dedicate their lives to acting righteously and conforming to God's moral standard, moving beyond mere imputed righteousness to practical holy living.
• by whose stripes (οὗ τῷ μώλωπι - hou tō mōlōpi): "Whose" refers to Christ. Mōlōps refers to the swollen bruise, livid mark, or welts from a severe scourging. Though singular, it signifies the collective, severe physical lacerations endured by Jesus, echoing the prophetic language of Isa 53:5.
• you were healed (ἰάθητε - iathēte): A past tense verb, implying a completed action with lasting effects. While Isa 53:5 has been interpreted to include physical healing (e.g., Matt 8:17), Peter's immediate context and emphasis on liberation from sin and living righteously suggest a primary focus on spiritual healing: healing from the spiritual sickness, guilt, brokenness, and destructive power of sin. It represents spiritual wholeness and reconciliation with God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree": This clause emphatically proclaims the doctrine of substitutionary atonement. Christ personally took on the guilt and punishment for the accumulated sins of humanity. His suffering and death on the cross (the "tree," linking to the curse of the Law) were not merely exemplary but profoundly vicarious and redemptive, dealing decisively with sin through a real, physical act.
• "that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness": This highlights the teleological (purposeful) dimension of Christ's sacrifice. His death wasn't an end in itself but a means to a transformative end for humanity. Believers are called to spiritually disengage from their old, sin-dominated lives and instead pursue an active, dedicated life of holiness and moral uprightness in accordance with God's will.
• "by whose stripes you were healed": This clause connects the brutal suffering Christ endured (the "stripes" from scourging, echoing Isa 53) directly to a profound "healing" for believers. While broad redemption certainly encompasses potential physical healing, Peter's focus, consistent with the rest of the verse and his letter, centers on the primary spiritual healing from the defilement, penalty, and power of sin, leading to reconciliation and wholeness in God.

1 Peter 2 24 Bonus section

The active choice of Christ to "bear" our sins reflects His voluntary participation in God's redemptive plan. It signifies both His passive suffering under sin's penalty and His active obedience to the Father's will. The healing spoken of here, while encompassing potential physical healing as part of holistic redemption, is fundamentally a healing from the spiritual disease of sin, a liberation from its bondage, and a restoration of right relationship with God. This aligns with Peter's broader theological emphasis on living holy lives, rather than merely being free from physical ailment. The theological significance of epigenomai (to become or to be generated upon) as 'died to' emphasizes a definite break from the previous life, signifying spiritual metamorphosis. This verse provides the ultimate answer to why believers should suffer patiently and do good—because Christ suffered to enable a transformed life, and that transformation includes freedom from sin's tyranny and direction towards righteousness.

1 Peter 2 24 Commentary

1 Peter 2:24 stands as a profound summary of Christian soteriology. It underscores that Christ's death was not just a historical event but a divinely ordained, purposeful act. His bearing of sins was a unique, substitutionary offering—He endured what we deserved, bridging the chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity. This active work on the cross achieves a dual purpose: first, it cancels the power and guilt of our former life enslaved to sin, rendering us "dead to sins"; second, it enables a new, Spirit-empowered life of ethical conduct, allowing us to "live for righteousness." The phrase "by whose stripes you were healed" vividly portrays the cost of this new life and the extent of redemption. Primarily, this healing speaks to spiritual restoration—the brokenness of sin overcome by Christ's suffering, resulting in reconciliation, forgiveness, and renewal. It empowers believers to cease from their former way of life and pursue active obedience and good works, mirroring Christ's own blameless endurance as encouraged earlier in the chapter. It implies that true Christian living is an outcome of, and a response to, the depth of Christ's sacrifice.