A number of translations at this point render the word died
in place of suffered.
This is because the Greek manuscripts are very divided on which term is correct. Since the manuscripts are so divided, we need to think through whether Peter himself used the word died
(and copyists changed it to suffered
) or suffered
(and copyists changed it to died
). The latter has the stronger arguments:
In this letter Peter nowhere spends time speaking explicitly about the death of Christ but often about his suffering (1 Peter 2:19–25; 1 Peter 3:14; 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:13).
Later in the same verse, Peter mentions that Christ was
put to death.
This is superfluous if earlier in the verse Christ (already)died.
Further, the passiveput to death
gives space forsuffering
as the means by which he wasput to death.
The theme of
suffering
on the part of Peter’s readers is a central concept in this letter. As encouragement in their suffering, it makes sense that Peter would draw attention to Christ’s suffering.
So in our explanation of this text we go with the reading suffered.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,