So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse starts with a powerful command to "put away" these harmful attitudes and actions, but notice it doesn't say to "try" or "work on it." Peter isn't suggesting we slowly chip away at them; he’s calling for a decisive, immediate discarding, like shedding dirty clothes. This highlights that dealing with sin isn't a gradual process of improvement as much as a radical act of choosing to leave it behind.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living that were rooted in sin and embrace their new identity in Christ. Having established that they are God's chosen people, living stones in a spiritual house, he now calls them to actively live out that identity by leaving behind all the sinful behaviors that characterized their former lives. This verse sets the stage for the following verses, where he calls them to desire the pure spiritual milk of God's Word, which is essential for growth in their new life.
Ever felt like something's holding you back? Peter says we need to actively 'put away' certain things to truly grow in faith.
Peter uses a powerful image here – likening this spiritual decision to shedding old skin. It's not a passive waiting game; it's a deliberate, active choice.
The 'Put Away' Action
The Greek word Peter uses implies a decisive removal, like taking off soiled or worn-out clothes to put on clean ones. It’s about making space for something new and better.
What We're Removing
Peter lists five specific things: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. These aren't minor annoyances; they are deeply damaging attitudes and actions that corrupt our inner lives and harm our relationships with God and others.
Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander – these aren't just isolated acts, but can become the very fabric of how we think and relate.
Peter doesn't just say 'don't do these things.' He commands us to 'put them away,' revealing that these sinful attitudes are like a poisonous infection that needs to be fully purged.
The Interconnectedness
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These traits feed each other, creating a cycle that traps us. To truly live as God intends, we must actively dismantle this whole system from the inside out.
Understand the original words
kakia · Greek Noun
A comprehensive term for the desire to do harm to others, encompassing ill-will, wickedness, and a depraved disposition. It is a fundamental attitude of the unregenerate heart that must be cast off by the believer.
dolos · Greek Noun
A crafty, underhanded way of misleading others, often involving trickery or treachery. It stands in direct opposition to the truth and transparency expected in the body of Christ.
hypokrisis · Greek Noun
The act of playing a part or wearing a mask; a discrepancy between one's outward profession and one's true internal state. It is a profound form of spiritual dishonesty.
phthonos · Greek Noun
A painful or resentful awareness of another's advantage, often leading to malice. It is a work of the flesh that destroys communal unity.
katalalia · Greek Noun
Evil speaking, detraction, or disparaging talk about others. It is the verbal expression of a heart that lacks love and seeks to undermine its neighbor.
The believers Peter addressed were scattered 'among the nations' and likely facing intense social pressure and misunderstanding, potentially even persecution. His call to put away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander was vital for them to live distinct, godly lives that would commend the Gospel in a hostile world.
c. AD 44-49
Council of Jerusalem
This council addressed the inclusion of Gentiles into the early church, establishing key principles and reducing some of the social and religious distinctions between Jewish and Gentile believers.
c. AD 48-52
Paul's Missionary Journeys
Paul's extensive travels spread the Gospel to various Gentile communities across Asia Minor and Greece, establishing churches in diverse cultural settings.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
The massive fire devastated Rome, leading to widespread suspicion and persecution of Christians, who were wrongly accused by Emperor Nero.
c. AD 64-67— this verse
Peter's Ministry in Rome
Tradition holds that Peter wrote his first epistle from Rome (symbolically called 'Babylon') during a period of intense persecution and social upheaval.
c. AD 67
Martyrdom of Peter and Paul
Both Peter and Paul are believed to have been martyred in Rome under Nero's reign, marking a significant loss for the early church.
Paul echoes Peter's call to shed old behaviors, listing similar vices like anger, rage, malice, slander, and dirty language, reinforcing the idea of actively discarding sinful practices.
Ephesians 4:22-24This passage speaks of 'taking off your old self' which is corrupted and 'putting on the new self' created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, aligning with Peter's command to 'put away' negative traits.
Romans 13:13-14Paul urges believers to live honorably, avoiding revelry and drunkenness, but instead to 'clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.' This connects to Peter's call to put away deceit and malice by actively embracing Christlike living.
James 1:21James connects putting aside 'all filthiness and all that is evil' with 'lovingly receiving the word planted in you,' showing that ridding oneself of sin is tied to a receptive heart for God's truth.
This verse starts with a powerful command to "put away" these harmful attitudes and actions, but notice it doesn't say to "try" or "work on it." Peter isn't suggesting we slowly chip away at them; he’s calling for a decisive, immediate discarding, like shedding dirty clothes. This highlights that dealing with sin isn't a gradual process of improvement as much as a radical act of choosing to leave it behind.
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living that were rooted in sin and embrace their new identity in Christ. Having established that they are God's chosen people, living stones in a spiritual house, he now calls them to actively live out that identity by leaving behind all the sinful behaviors that characterized their former lives. This verse sets the stage for the following verses, where he calls them to desire the pure spiritual milk of God's Word, which is essential for growth in their new life.
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living that were rooted in sin and embrace their new identity in Christ. Having established that they are God's chosen people, living stones in a spiritual house, he now calls them to actively live out that identity by leaving behind all the sinful behaviors that characterized their former lives. This verse sets the stage for the following verses, where he calls them to desire the pure spiritual milk of God's Word, which is essential for growth in their new life.
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander." — This verse starts with a powerful command to "put away" these harmful attitudes and actions, but notice it doesn't say to "try" or "work on it." Peter isn't suggesting we slowly chip away at them; he…
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Last reviewed October 2026