1 Peter 2 3

1 Peter 2:3 kjv

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:3 nkjv

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:3 niv

now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2:3 esv

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2:3 nlt

now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.

1 Peter 2 verses

1 Peter 2 3 Meaning

1 Peter 2:3 serves as a foundational premise, asserting that those who have genuinely experienced the gracious character and saving work of the Lord are compelled by that very experience to earnestly desire further spiritual growth. The verse grounds the call to rid oneself of sin (1 Pet 2:1) and long for spiritual sustenance (1 Pet 2:2) in the prior, real encounter with God's benevolence.

1 Peter 2 3 Context

1 Peter 2:3 flows directly from the preceding verses and chapter, creating a cohesive argument for Christian conduct and growth. In 1 Peter 1:22-25, Peter establishes the believers' new identity, having been "born again" through the living and enduring Word of God. This spiritual rebirth implies a new nature and a new capacity for discerning and desiring spiritual things.

Verse 1 of chapter 2 exhorts believers to "rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind." This ethical cleansing is not arbitrary but is logically followed in verse 2 by the imperative to "crave pure spiritual milk" – a metaphor for the Word of God that nourishes and facilitates growth unto salvation.

1 Peter 2:3 ("if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good") then serves as the theological underpinning and motivating factor for these exhortations. It asserts that the basis for a Christian's desire for spiritual purity and nourishment is their past, experiential encounter with the goodness of God. This verse is a clear allusion, if not a direct quotation, from Psalm 34:8 in the Old Testament. For the original audience, who were "aliens and exiles" (1 Pet 1:1) scattered across Asia Minor and facing various forms of societal pressure and potentially persecution, this experiential knowledge of God's goodness would have been a crucial anchor for their faith, encouraging them to cling to their new identity and grow spiritually rather than compromising or backsliding. It subtly pushes against any Gnostic-like tendency to diminish the importance of the physical or experiential, emphasizing that true spiritual life involves a deeply personal "tasting."

1 Peter 2 3 Word analysis

• if indeed (Greek: εἴπερ, eiper): This phrase indicates a conditional statement that assumes the condition is true or has already been met. It is better translated as "since indeed" or "if, as is the case." It is not expressing doubt, but rather serving as a confident premise. Peter is asserting that this "tasting" is an established reality for his readers, forming the foundation for his exhortation.
• you have tasted (Greek: ἐγεύσασθε, egeusasthe): This is an aorist middle indicative verb from γεύομαι (geuomai). The aorist tense indicates a completed action in the past—a definite experience that has already occurred. The middle voice implies that the subject (you) participated in or experienced the action for themselves. It signifies an intimate, personal, and experiential encounter, not merely an intellectual assent or superficial acquaintance. Like literally tasting food, it suggests sensory apprehension, assimilation, and enjoyment. This is a vivid metaphor for genuine conversion and salvation—a personal encounter with God that fundamentally alters one's perspective and desires.
• that the Lord (Greek: ὅτι Κύριος, hoti Kyrios):
  • that (ὅτι, hoti): Introduces the content of what was tasted—namely, God's goodness.
  • the Lord (Κύριος, Kyrios): This term in the New Testament can refer to God the Father or Jesus Christ. Given the context of Old Testament allusions (like Psa 34:8 where "the Lord" refers to Yahweh) and Peter's overall Christocentric focus, it encompasses God's divine revelation and benevolent acts, primarily understood through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It underscores the divine authority and character of the one whose goodness is experienced.
• is good (Greek: χρηστός, chrēstos): More than just "morally good," chrēstos signifies kindness, usefulness, graciousness, benevolence, pleasantness, and advantageousness. It describes God's inherent nature as generous, compassionate, and working for the well-being of His people. It refers to God's kindness and moral excellence displayed through His saving grace, forgiveness, and provision for spiritual life.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• if indeed you have tasted: This phrase highlights the foundational, undeniable experience of believers. It assumes a genuine spiritual initiation and implies a transformed spiritual palate, making what is spiritual desirable. This experiential knowledge contrasts sharply with mere intellectual assent about God.
• that the Lord is good: This reveals the substance of the "tasting." It's not a generic goodness but the inherent, demonstrated kindness and grace of the Lord (God, often specifically Jesus). This goodness is not merely abstract but has been tangibly revealed through His acts of salvation and spiritual nourishment. The enjoyment and benefit derived from this experience are central to motivating further spiritual pursuit.

1 Peter 2 3 Bonus section

The metaphor of "tasting" is powerful as it implies both initial satisfaction and the development of an appetite. It speaks of the immediate gratification of knowing God, which then cultivates a hunger for more of Him and His truth. This highlights that spiritual growth is not driven by obligation alone, but by a genuine, awakened appetite for the goodness that has already been discovered. The shift from "tasting" (a completed act, salvation/initial experience) to "craving" (an ongoing desire, spiritual growth) in the preceding verse (1 Pet 2:2) showcases Peter's argument for dynamic, lifelong discipleship. The use of "Kyrios" (Lord) in an explicit echo of a Hebrew Scripture verse (Psa 34:8, using Yahweh) points to a deliberate connection by Peter between the God of Israel's covenant and the present-day Lord, Jesus Christ, emphasizing His divine nature and continuity of salvation history.

1 Peter 2 3 Commentary

1 Peter 2:3 serves as a pivotal theological bridge, connecting the transformative experience of salvation to the ongoing process of spiritual sanctification. Peter builds his ethical and spiritual exhortations on the secure foundation of personal experience: "if indeed you have tasted." The "tasting" is not hypothetical, but a past, definitive, and internalizing experience for genuine believers. It points to a saving encounter with God's grace, akin to conversion, where the believer truly experiences God's character as "good"—meaning gracious, benevolent, and full of kindness. This deep, experiential knowledge contrasts with intellectual knowledge alone; it is intimate and transformative.

Because believers have already partaken of the Lord's goodness, which delivered them and transformed their desires, there is an implicit logical and spiritual necessity to continue desiring the "pure spiritual milk" mentioned in the previous verse. Just as a baby who has tasted good milk instinctively craves more for growth, a regenerated believer who has experienced the goodness of the Lord should naturally yearn for further nourishment from His Word to mature in salvation. The verse thus motivates Christian discipline (ridding of sin) and Christian growth (desiring the Word) by appealing to the already realized, satisfying nature of God Himself. It’s an encouragement rooted in remembrance of divine kindness.