Limitless Word
now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
1 Peter 2:3 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:
  • KJV If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
  • BSB now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
  • NKJV if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
  • NASB if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

This longing for the Word follows naturally if believers have tasted the Lord's goodness. Having experienced God's kindness creates a hunger for more of him.

Overview

Echoing Psalm 34:8, Peter assumes his readers have already 'tasted that the Lord is gracious' in conversion. That genuine experience of God's goodness is the motive for craving the spiritual milk of the Word. The verse subtly applies Old Testament language about the Lord to Christ, hinting at his deity, since the surrounding context centers on him.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Ps 34:8Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
  • Heb 6:5–6and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
  • Ps 63:5My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
  • Ps 24:8Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle.
  • Zech 9:17For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
  • Ps 9:10Those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.
  • Song 2:3As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Peter videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Peter 2:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 PeterMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The lamb without blemish foreknown before the world, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose wounds we are healed — the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

How 1 Peter 2:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.