“You have been born anew,
Not from perishable
But from an imperishable seed,
Through the living
And enduring
Word of God.”
ἀναγεγεννημένοι οὐκ ἐκ σπορᾶς φθαρτῆς ἀλλὰ ἀφθάρτου, διὰ λόγου ζῶντος Θεοῦ καὶ μένοντος.
This author said “You have been born anew (ἀναγεγεννημένοι), not (οὐκ) from perishable (φθαρτῆς) but from imperishable (ἀλλὰ ἀφθάρτου) seed (ἐκ σπορᾶς), through (διὰ) the living (ζῶντος) and enduring (καὶ μένοντος) word (λόγου) of God (Θεοῦ).” Only this author, 1 Peter, among all the canonical NT works used this word ἀναγεγεννημένοι, that means to beget again or begin a new life, and the word σπορᾶς, that means a sowing, by implication seed, or a seed sown. This author used unique vocabulary to explain the new birth of the followers of Jesus Christ. They have a new living and enduring life in Jesus Christ via the word of the God that they had heard and received. This new life is not perishable or has the possibility of fading away. Instead, they have received the imperishable seed of eternal life based on the living eternal word of God. They had been baptized in Jesus Christ. Do you have the living and enduring word of God in you?