When was 1 Peter written?
When was 1 Peter written?
Answer
The apostle Peter played a key role in building the early church, including leading the community, preaching the Word, and ministering to people. The book of 1 Peter continues the ministry that began in the Gospels and Acts. When persecution threatened the early church as it began to spread through the Roman Empire, Peter sought to encourage Christians to remain faithful. To this end, he wrote 1 Peter toward the end of his life, around AD 64 to 65.
Determining who wrote 1 Peter helps pinpoint when the book was written. In the opening verse, Peter identifies himself as the author: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1). Peter’s byline, along with the tone and themes of the letter, reflects the faith and care evident throughout his ministry.
Peter also appeals to his personal experience with Jesus’ suffering. He writes, “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1). While the Gospels do not specifically state that Peter was present at the crucifixion, this verse reflects his deep awareness of Jesus’ suffering and death. The crucifixion profoundly shaped Peter’s faith and his ministry.
Peter’s reference to writing from “Babylon” provides additional evidence for his authorship. “Babylon,” a symbolic name depicting spiritual corruption, was a common way for first-century Christians to refer to Rome. Peter writes, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark” (1 Peter 5:13). This suggests that Peter wrote the letter in the mid-60s when tensions between the church and the empire were high.
The absence of any mention of Nero’s persecution following the fire in Rome in AD 64 suggests that 1 Peter may have been written before or shortly after that event. This places the letter around AD 64 or 65, just before the persecution intensified. Church tradition holds that Peter was martyred in Rome under Nero, likely by crucifixion around AD 67 or 68. Taken together, these insights strongly support dating the letter to the final years of Peter’s life, just before the church faced its harshest persecution.
Further support for Peter’s authorship comes from the close connection between this letter and his speeches in Acts. For example, Peter refers to Jesus as the “ cornerstone” when speaking to the Sanhedrin and also in 1 Peter (Acts 4:11–12; 1 Peter 2:4–7). In both Acts and 1 Peter, the apostle highlights Christ’s suffering, the call to repentance, and the hope of salvation.
Early church tradition strongly affirms Peter as the author of 1 Peter. Leaders such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clement of Alexandria recognized his authorship of the letter.
In 1 Peter, the apostle reminds Christians that, even in times of trial, God has called them to live with hope. He writes, “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).