1 Peter 1:23 - CSB - since you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. (2024)

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
You have been made new! This new life isn't made from something perishable, but imperishable. You were made new through the good news that lasts forever and ever.

Bible in Basic English
Because you have had a new birth, not from the seed of man, but from eternal seed, through the word of a living and unchanging God.

Darby Translation
being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by [the] living and abiding word of God.

World English Bible
having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.

Weymouth's New Testament
For you have been begotten again by God's ever-living and enduring word from a germ not of perishable, but of imperishable life.

King James Version (1611)
Being borne againe, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer.

Literal Translation
being regenerated, not by corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the living Word of God, and remaining forever.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
as they that are borne a new, not of corruptible sede, but of vncorruptible, eue by the lyuynge worde of God, which endureth for euer.

Mace New Testament (1729)
since your regeneration is not owing to any corruptible principles, but to the unchangeable word of the immortal God.

Amplified Bible
for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.

American Standard Version
having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.

Revised Standard Version
You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
for ye are borne a newe not of mortall seed but of immortall by the worde of god which liveth and lasteth for ever.

Update Bible Version
having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and abides.

Webster's Bible Translation
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Young's Literal Translation
being begotten again, not out of seed corruptible, but incorruptible, through a word of God -- living and remaining -- to the age;

New Century Version
You have been born again, and this new life did not come from something that dies, but from something that cannot die. You were born again through God's living message that continues forever.

New English Translation
You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

Berean Standard Bible
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Contemporary English Version
Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever.

Complete Jewish Bible
You have been born again not from some seed that will decay, but from one that cannot decay, through the living Word of God that lasts forever .

English Standard Version
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Being borne anewe, not of mortall seede, but of immortall, by the woorde of God, who liueth and endureth for euer.

George Lamsa Translation
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever.

Hebrew Names Version
having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

International Standard Version
For you have been born again, not by a seed that perishes but by one that cannot perish - by the living and everlasting word of God.by the word of the living and everlasting God">[fn]John 1:13; 3:5; James 1:18; 1 John 3:9;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
as men who are regenerated, not by a perishable seed, but by that which is imperishable, by the living word of Aloha which abideth for ever.

Murdock Translation
like persons born again, not of seed that perisheth, but of that which doth not perish, by the living word of God, who abideth for ever.

New King James Version
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, [fn]

New Living Translation
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

New Life Bible
You have been given a new birth. It was from a seed that cannot die. This new life is from the Word of God which lives forever.

English Revised Version
having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.

New Revised Standard
You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Having been regenerated - Not out of corruptible seed, but incorruptible - through means of the word of a Living and Abiding God;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God who liveth and remaineth for ever.

King James Version
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Lexham English Bible
because you have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For ye are borne a newe, not of mortal seede: but of immortal, by the worde of God, which lyueth and lasteth for euer.

Easy-to-Read Version
You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God's life-giving message that lasts forever.

New American Standard Bible
for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

Good News Translation
For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And be ye borun ayen, not of corruptible seed, `but vncorruptible, bi the word of lyuynge God, and dwellynge in to with outen ende.

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born: 1 Peter 1:3, John 1:3, John 3:5

not: Malachi 2:3, Romans 1:23, 1 Corinthians 15:53, 1 Corinthians 15:54

but: 1 John 3:9, 1 John 5:18

by: 1 Peter 1:25, Jeremiah 23:28, Matthew 24:35, John 6:63, Hebrews 4:12, James 1:18

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:37 - sowing seed Psalms 87:5 - of Zion Psalms 119:93 - will never Psalms 119:144 - righteousness Proverbs 21:8 - but Isaiah 55:11 - shall my Matthew 13:24 - good Matthew 13:38 - the good Mark 4:14 - the word Mark 4:26 - as Luke 8:11 - The seed Luke 17:5 - Increase John 1:13 - were John 3:3 - Except John 17:17 - Sanctify Acts 9:17 - Brother Romans 10:8 - the word of faith Romans 10:17 - faith Romans 16:1 - our Romans 16:14 - and 1 Corinthians 4:15 - for Ephesians 5:26 - by Philippians 2:1 - if any fellowship Philippians 2:16 - the word Philippians 3:3 - have 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - effectually Philemon 1:16 - a brother Hebrews 8:10 - I will put 1 Peter 2:2 - newborn 1 Peter 3:4 - which is not 1 John 2:27 - the anointing 1 John 2:29 - is born 1 John 3:15 - hath 2 John 1:1 - whom 2 John 1:2 - which 2 John 1:5 - that we

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Being born again,.... As they were of God, according to his abundant mercy, by the resurrection of Christ, to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance; as in 1 Peter 1:3 and therefore seeing they were brethren in a spiritual relation, they ought to love as brethren; being children of the same Father, belonging to the same family and household, having the same spirit, and the same nature and disposition, and being members one of another, and heirs of the same grace and glory; and not only so, but were taught of God their Father, in regeneration, to love one another: it became them highly, therefore, to exercise that grace, and particularly since they were born,

not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible; referring not to seed cast into the earth, which first corrupts and dies, and then is quickened, and rises, and brings forth fruit; but to human seed, and which the Jews call טפה סרוחה, "the filthy drop" k; which is in itself corrupt, and is corrupted, and whereby the corruption of human nature is propagated; for whatsoever is born of the flesh is carnal and corrupt; and so the apostle has reference to the first birth, or natural generation of men, in which they are polluted and depraved, and confirms what the evangelist says, John 1:13 that regenerate persons are not "born of blood"; or become new creatures, and holy men, by their natural descent, or first birth, be it from whom it will; for all men are of one blood originally, and that is tainted with sin; nor by the will of fallen creatures, of corruptible men, themselves or others; but of water, and of the Spirit, of the grace of the Spirit of God, which is seed pure and incorruptible, having no mixture or taint of sin, nor any degree of pollution in it, and which remains so; nor can it be corrupted by all the wickedness there is in man's heart; nor by all the pollutions of the world, or temptations of Satan; and this seed is conveyed into the heart by the Spirit of God, in regeneration, and it contains all grace in it;

by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever; for the incorruptible seed, and the ever living and abiding word, are two distinct things; though interpreters generally confound them: and by "the word of God" is either meant the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; who is concerned in regeneration as well as the Father and the Spirit; by whose resurrection, and in consequence of it, the elect of God are begotten again; and who, as the Word, is able to build up all the sanctified ones, and give them the inheritance they are born heirs unto: or the Gospel, the word of truth, which is made use of as a means of begetting souls again; and the rather, since it seems to be so interpreted, 1 Peter 1:25 the phrases, "which liveth and abideth forever", may be either read in connection only with "God", and as descriptive of him, who is the living God, is from everlasting to everlasting, in distinction from idols; and here added, to show that he can give power and efficacy to his word, to regenerate and quicken, and will continue to preserve and make it useful to all his saving purposes; so Jarchi explains the passage in

Isaiah 40:8 after referred to, "the word of our God shall stand for ever";

"because he lives and abides, and it is in his power to confirm it therefore it follows, "O Zion, that bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain"; for because he lives forever, this promise is published.''

Or else with the word of God, and is true both of Christ, and of the Gospel. Christ is the Word which lives; in him, as such, is life; he has life in himself as God, as man, and as Mediator; and is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and, eternal; and abides for ever in his person, without any change; and in his offices and grace, and righteousness; he abides a priest continually, has an unchangeable priesthood, and ever lives to make intercession, and of his kingdom there is no end: the same is said of the "Memra", or Word of God, in the Chaldee paraphrase on Hosea 11:9 "I am God",

מימרי, "my word abideth for ever": compare John 12:34. The Gospel also may be said to live, in opposition to the law, which is the killing letter; and because it points out the way of life and salvation to sinners; and is a means of quickening dead sinners, and of ingenerating that faith by which men live on Christ; and of revealing to them that righteousness which is unto justification of life; and of supporting and maintaining spiritual life in them; and of reviving drooping saints; the Syriac version renders it, "the living Word of God": and it remains, and will abide; all its promises, blessings, doctrines, and ordinances, are lasting; it will continue in the world until all the elect of God are gathered in, until the second coming of Christ, and to the end of the world; notwithstanding all the persecutions of men, and cunning, craft of false teachers, and all the ridicule and contempt it is treated with by mockers and scoffers: and will abide in the effects of it, in the hearts of the saints, to all eternity.

k Pirke Abot, c. 3. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib. Zohar in Exod. fol. 62. 1. & 78. 2.

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Being born again - See the notes at John 3:3.

Not of corruptible seed - “Not by virtue of any descent from human parents” - Doddridge. The result of such a birth, or of being begotten in this way - for so the word rendered “born again” more properly signifies - is only corruption and decay. We are begotten only to die. There is no permanent, enduring life produced by that. It is in this sense that this is spoken of as, “corruptible seed,” because it results in decay and death. The word here rendered “seed” - σπορά spora - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament.

But of incorruptible - By truth, communicating a living principle to the soul which can never decay. Compare 1 John 3:9; “His seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

By the word of God - See the note at James 1:18; “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.” Compare the notes at John 1:13. It is the uniform doctrine of the Scriptures that divine truth is made the instrument of quickening the soul into spiritual life.

Which liveth and abideth forever - This expression may either refer to God, as living forever, or to the word of God, as being forever true. Critics are about equally divided in the interpretation. The Greek will bear either construction. Most of the recent critics incline to the latter opinion - that it refers to the word of God, or to his doctrine. So Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Wolf, Macknight, Clarke. It seems to me, however, that the more natural construction of the Greek is to refer it to God, as ever-living or enduring; and this interpretation agrees well with the connection. The idea then is, that as God is ever-living, that which is produced directly by him in the human soul, by the instrumentality of truth, may be expected also to endure forever. It will not be like the offspring of human parents, themselves mortal, liable to early and certain decay, but may be expected to be as enduring as its ever-living Creator.

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Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. Being born again — For being born of Abraham's seed will not avail to the entering of the kingdom of heaven.

Not of corruptible seed — By no human generation, or earthly means; but of incorruptible - a Divine and heavenly principle which is not liable to decay, nor to be affected by the changes and chances to which all sublunary things are exposed.

By the word of God — Δια λογου ζωντος Θεου· By the doctrine of the living God, which remaineth for ever; which doctrine shall never change, any more than the source shall whence it proceeds.

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