You were ransomed (1 Pet 1:18)

“You know

That you were ransomed

From your useless conduct,

Inherited

From your ancestors,

Not with perishable things

Like silver

And gold.”

εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ φθαρτοῖς, ἀργυρίῳ ἢ χρυσίῳ, ἐλυτρώθητε ἐκ τῆς ματαίας ὑμῶν ἀναστροφῆς πατροπαραδότου,

This author said, “You know (εἰδότες) that you were ransomed (ἐλυτρώθητε) from your useless conduct (ἐκ τῆς ματαίας ὑμῶν), inherited from your ancestors (πατροπαραδότου), not (ὅτι οὐ) with perishable things (φθαρτοῖς) like silver (ἀργυρίῳ) and gold (ἢ χρυσίῳ).”  Only this author, 1 Peter, among all the canonical NT works used this word πατροπαραδότου, that means handed down from one’s fathers or ancestors or inherited.  This author indicated that they knew they were not saved or ransomed from their terrible lifestyle or useless conduct with perishable gold and silver.  They had inherited this terrible lifestyle from their ancestors, implying here a pagan background and not a Jewish background.  Does gold or silver save you from your useless conduct?