1 Peter 2:1-2
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Peter doesn't just say "stop sinning"; he tells us to actively "put away" these things, like shedding dirty clothes. This isn't about a one-time fix, but a continuous process of discarding the old ways to embrace the new life offered in Christ. The sheer variety of sins listed—from internal states like malice and envy to outward actions like hypocrisy and slander—shows how deeply sin infiltrates every part of us.
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living, which were characterized by sin and impurity. He's just described them as newborn babies craving pure spiritual milk, and this verse is the "milk" – the foundational instructions for how to live as God’s redeemed people in a world that often doesn't understand them. What follows is an explanation of their new identity as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, which directly informs why they must put away these harmful behaviors.
Peter doesn't hold back here, launching into a series of commands. It can feel overwhelming at first glance. What's the deal with this intense list?
Peter is giving us a powerful, practical instruction on how to live as God's people in a world that often feels chaotic and ungodly. He calls us to actively put away these negative traits.
It's an Action, Not a Feeling
This isn't about passively wishing these things away. The original language here emphasizes a decisive, deliberate act of removing something harmful. Think of it like clearing out a cluttered room so you can actually use the space.
Why These Specific Sins?
This list hits at the heart of relational breakdown:
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Peter knows these things poison our relationships with each other and with God. They are the spiritual clutter that blocks us from receiving and living out God's truth.
Peter just gave us a stern warning about what to get rid of. But why? What's on the other side of this spiritual 'decluttering'?
This verse is the essential preamble to Peter's main point in the following verses. He's setting the stage for us to truly embrace a new way of living.
Clearing Space for Pure Nourishment
Immediately after this command, Peter says, 'like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk...' (1 Peter 2:2). You can't truly hunger for or digest pure milk if your spiritual stomach is already full of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
Essential for Spiritual Growth
These negative traits create a barrier. They harden our hearts, make us defensive, and prevent us from being open to God's Word. By removing them, Peter is preparing us to receive God's Word with the genuine, unadulterated longing of a newborn baby eager for nourishment. This is how we grow into the mature, Christ-like people God intends us to be.
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.
logikos adolos gala · Greek Noun phrase
Referring to the unadulterated, life-sustaining word of God. This metaphor highlights the believer's need for constant, foundational nourishment for spiritual maturity.
soteria · Greek Noun
The ultimate deliverance of the believer, beginning with justification and progressing through sanctification to final glorification in the presence of God.
Peter's exhortation to shed malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander is powerfully contextualized by the intense social pressure and persecution faced by the early church, urging them to live lives that reflected God's character amidst a hostile world.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire sweeps through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to scapegoat Christians for the disaster.
c. AD 64-67
Neronian Persecution
Christians in Rome face intense persecution under Emperor Nero, accused of arson and general depravity.
c. AD 60s
Peter's Ministry in Rome
Apostle Peter likely ministered in Rome during this period, a significant center of Roman life and Christian activity.
c. AD 67
Martyrdom of Peter
Tradition holds that Peter was martyred in Rome, likely during Nero's persecution.
c. AD 60s-early 70s— this verse
Writing of 1 Peter
Peter writes his first letter from Rome (or a location perceived as 'Babylon' by early Christians) to believers scattered throughout Asia Minor.
c. AD 67-68
Persecution in Asia Minor
The scattered believers Peter writes to were likely experiencing social hostility and possibly localized persecution, fueled by Roman suspicion and anti-Christian sentiment.
Jesus emphasizes the importance of our words being truthful and straightforward, directly relating to the call to put away deceit and hypocrisy.
Ephesians 4:25This passage echoes Peter's instruction by urging believers to 'put off falsehood and speak truthfully,' directly addressing deceit and malice.
Colossians 3:8Paul lists many of the same vices Peter addresses – anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk – showing the consistent New Testament call to abandon sinful behaviors.
Romans 13:13This verse speaks to living openly and honestly, rejecting revelry and drunkenness, which often go hand-in-hand with the deceit and envy Peter warns against.
Peter doesn't just say "stop sinning"; he tells us to actively "put away" these things, like shedding dirty clothes. This isn't about a one-time fix, but a continuous process of discarding the old ways to embrace the new life offered in Christ. The sheer variety of sins listed—from internal states like malice and envy to outward actions like hypocrisy and slander—shows how deeply sin infiltrates every part of us.
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living, which were characterized by sin and impurity. He's just described them as newborn babies craving pure spiritual milk, and this verse is the "milk" – the foundational instructions for how to live as God’s redeemed people in a world that often doesn't understand them. What follows is an explanation of their new identity as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, which directly informs why they must put away these harmful behaviors.
Peter is urging believers to shed their old ways of living, which were characterized by sin and impurity. He's just described them as newborn babies craving pure spiritual milk, and this verse is the "milk" – the foundational instructions for how to live as God’s redeemed people in a world that often doesn't understand them. What follows is an explanation of their new identity as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, which directly informs why they must put away these harmful behaviors.
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—" — Peter doesn't just say "stop sinning"; he tells us to actively "put away" these things, like shedding dirty clothes. This isn't about a one-time fix, but a continuous process of discarding the old wa…
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