1 Peter 2:11
What does 1 Peter 2:11 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Peter 2:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Peter 2:11 means
Addressing them tenderly as “Beloved,” Peter urges believers, who are “sojourners and pilgrims,” to abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul. Christians live as resident foreigners in this world; their true homeland is with God. Desires rooted in the old nature are not harmless impulses but active combatants seeking to sabotage spiritual health. Abstaining is not mere denial; it is strategic resistance for the soul’s welfare. Identity as exiles clarifies priorities: we travel light, guard the heart, and refuse to let passing passions command us, because our deepest loyalty and destiny lie elsewhere, with the Lord who has shown us mercy.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Beloved, I call upon <FI>you<Fi> , as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Beloved, I exhort [you], as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Context
With identity fresh in mind (vv. 9–10), verse 11 begins practical exhortations. The first is internal—resist desires that battle the soul. Verse 12 will add the external dimension—maintain honorable conduct before the watching world. Together they form a twofold strategy: inward holiness and outward integrity. These general appeals will then find a specific arena in civic life (vv. 13–17) and household relations (vv. 18–20), before being grounded in Christ’s example (vv. 21–25).
v.10who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
v.11This passage
v.12having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Philemon 1:9
yet for love’s sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ Jesus:
- Romans 7:23
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
- 1 Peter 1:17
And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:
- Galatians 5:16
But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
- Psalms 119:19
I am a sojourner in the earth: Hide not thy commandments from me.
- 1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore 1 Peter 2
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on 1 Peter 2.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Atonement
Atonement, a central doctrine of Christianity, describes how humanity is reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
Topic
Bible Verses About Authority
Authority in the Bible refers to the divinely instituted right to command and influence, often reflecting God's sovereign rule and delegation to human leaders.
Topic
Bible Verses About God’s Calling
Explore what it means to be called by God, whether to salvation, service, or a particular purpose in life.
What the Bible says about…