OET interlinear 1 PET 1:8

1:8a

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him: The Christians to whom Peter wrote this letter had not seen Jesus when he was on earth. However, they loved him. It may be helpful to make this a separate sentence. Other ways to translate it are:

You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. (NCV)

You love Jesus Christ although you have not seen him.

Him: Him refers to Jesus Christ. In some languages it may be more natural to repeat his name here. For example:

You have not seen Jesus Christ

In this letter, Peter does not use the name “Jesus” without “Christ.” He also does not use only “Christ” until 1:11, where he refers to Christ before he became a human being. Therefore, if you make his name explicit here, it is best to say “Jesus Christ.”

love: The Greek word that the BSB translates as love means that a person values and reveres Jesus Christ (and God) with gratitude and affection. He is devoted and loyal to Christ. Use a natural expression or idiom for this word.

1:8b

and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him: This verse part is similar in meaning to 1:8a. The believers were trusting Jesus Christ without being able to see him. It may be helpful to make this a separate sentence. Other ways to translate it are:

You do not see him now, but still you believe in him.

You believe in Jesus Christ, even though you do not see him now.

believe in Him: To believe in Jesus means to “entrust oneself” to Jesus, that is, “to place oneself in the complete care” of Jesus. Some other ways to translate this are:

rely/depend on

trust in

trust in and commit to

have confidence in

Your language may use an idiom for this meaning.

1:8c

and: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as and introduces what happens as a result of 1:8a–b. The NET says:

and so…

rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy: In Greek, this part of the verse is literally, “you rejoice with joy inexpressible and glorious.” This phrase emphasizes the great joy that the believers feel. They are so joyful that they are not able to describe it. Use a natural way to express this emphasis in your language. Here are some ways to say this:

you are wonderfully happy, more than you can express

no words can tell how glad and happy you are (CEV)

You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words (GW)

inexpressible: The Greek word that the BSB translate as inexpressible occurs only here in the New Testament. Peter meant that the joy was so great and wonderful that no one could describe it adequately in words. Other ways to say this include:

indescribable (NET)

cannot be described (NJB)

which words cannot express (GNT)

glorious: The Greek word that the BSB translates as glorious is literally “having been glorified/exalted.” This is a passive verbal form. The joy was a special kind of joy that came from their faith in Jesus. If you have an expression that describes joy that comes from something wonderful or magnificent, you may be able to use it here.About this joy, Grudem says, “The sense of this word exalted (a perfect passive participle) could be given more fully by paraphrasing, ‘joy that has been infused with heavenly glory and that still possesses the radiance of that glory.’ It is thus joy that results from being in the presence of God himself, and joy that even now partakes of the character of heaven. It is the joy of heaven before heaven, experienced now in fellowship with the unseen Christ.” Davids says, “The joy is also “filled with glory,” a joy that has already been glorified, not in the sense that they already experience the fullness of glory of the coming of Christ, but in the sense that in their love and commitment to Christ they experience a joy that partakes of and anticipates the joy of the final day of salvation. It is in their focus on Christ, rather than on circumstances or even on doctrine, that they find this joy.” Other ways to say this are:

full of glory (NCV)

exalted (RSV)