1 Peter 1:18

1 Peter 1:18

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

a. NLT: For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.

b. NIV: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,

c. YLT: having known that, not with corruptible things -- silver or gold -- were ye redeemed from your foolish behaviour delivered by fathers,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,

e. Worrell Translation: Knowing that, not with perishablethings, with silver or gold, were ye redeemed from your vain course of life handed from your fathers;

f. Wuest Translation: Knowing as you do, that not by means of perishable things, little coins of silver and gold, were you set free once for all by the payment of ransome money, out of and away from your futile manner of life handed down from generation to generation.

1. “For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…”

a. For as much as ye know [Strong: 1492 eido i'-do a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

b. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

c. [ye were] not [Strong: 3756 ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

d. redeemed [Strong: 3084 lutroo loo-tro'-o from 3083; to ransom (literally or figuratively):--redeem.] [Thayer: to release on receipt of ransom, to redeem, liberate by payment of ransom, to liberate, to cause to be released to one's self by payment of a ransom, to redeem, to deliver: from evils of every kind, internal and external.]

e. [with] corruptible [things] [Strong: 5349 phthartos fthar-tos' from 5351; decayed, i.e. (by implication) perishable:--corruptible.] [Thayer: corruptible, perishing.][D.C.: subject to decay.]

f. [as] silver [Strong: 684 argurion ar-goo'-ree-on neuter of a presumed derivative of 696; silvery, i.e. (by implication) cash; specially, a silverling (i.e. drachma or shekel):--money, (piece of) silver (piece).]

g. and [Strong: 2228 e ay a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

h. gold [Strong: 5553  chrusion khroo-see'-on diminutive of 5557; a golden article, i.e. gold plating, ornament, or coin:--gold.]

1). Peter is emphasizing the spiritual truth that the purchasing of our salvation, our redemption was not with a corruptible currency, or a currency subject to decay. Regardless of the currency, it is not enough.

a). Psalm 49:6-9 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

49:9 That he should still live forever, and not see corruption.

2. “…from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.”

a. from [Strong: 1537 ek ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]

b. your [Strong: 5216 humon hoo-mone' genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

c. vain [Strong: 3152 mataios mat'-ah-yos from the base of 3155; empty, i.e. (literally) profitless, or (specially), an idol:--vain, vanity.] [Thayer: devoid of force, truth, success, result, useless, of no purpose.]

d. conversation [Strong: 391 anastrophe an-as-trof-ay' from 390; behavior:--conversation.] [Thayer: manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment.]

e. received by tradition from your fathers [Strong: 3970 patroparadotos pat-rop-ar-ad'-ot-os from 3962 and a derivative of 3860 (in the sense of handing over or down); traditionary:--received by tradition from fathers.] [pater-father; paradidomi-to hand down] [Thayer: handed down from one's father's or ancestors.]

1). Peter is writing about how spiritual death has passed down through the generations.

a). Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

b). Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2). Peter is emphasizing here one component of our redemption that most churches in America do not emphasize. In fact as I was studying this out I did searches on the words “redeemed” and “redemption” because I wanted to include the forgiveness of our sins or other parts of our redemption which are more widely known and understood. In the middle of my search, the Spirit of God spoke to me and said, Peter is emphasizing this part of the redemption on purpose. His emphasis is we were redeemed, or purchased out of, “…the vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.” It is just one part of the spiritual death that was passed on to us through Adam’s sin. Adam and Eve died spiritually when they sinned against God.

a). Genesis 2:15-17 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

a). Some marginal readings  say, “dying thou shalt die”. There are two deaths mentioned, Adam died physically because he died spiritually.  

3). Because of that disobedience spiritual death passed on all men. One aspect of being spiritually dead or dead in sins is the law of sin and death that operates in our members and is described in Romans. This is what Peter is emphasizing with the phrase, “your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.”

a). Romans 7:14-24 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

b). In researching the phrase, “the body of this death” I have found some notes.  Barnes’ Notes on the Bible and Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible , both mention a possible reference to a practice of being put to death by being chained or bound to a corpse and carrying it around. Another  reference book called,  Manner’s and Customs of the Bible also mentioned the same practice, but identified it as a Roman form of capital punishment. Regardless of the source, the illustration is a very good one.

4 ). The law of sin and death is in every man and woman boy and girl born on this planet, except for Jesus. He avoided it because God is his father and spiritual death did not pass on to him from Adam. We on the other hand have to deal with it and outside of being born again in Christ there is no way to overcome it, but in Christ we can.

a). Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

b). Romans 6:1-14