First Peter 2:1-25

I Peter 2:1-3:

^2:1Therefore, having put-away all badness and all deceit and hypocrisies and envies and all slanders from-yourselves, ^.2as now-begotten babies you must earnestly-long-for the logical un-deceitful milk in order that in it you may be increased into salvation ^.3since you tasted that the Lord (is) benevolent,

Following-on logically (from chapter 1), having put (placed, set) away from yourselves…

• all badness (every form of being bad, everything that is against God, contrary to His will)
• and all deceit (every guile or bait as used to catch people by stratagem or subterfuge)
• and hypocrisies (answers given in reply in pretense as if wearing a mask playing a part on a stage, feigning to be what you are not, pretending to be what others think you are or want you to be, judging from underneath the truth and so deliberately misrepresenting yourselves and the truth of God's Word, dissimulations)
• and envies (being jealous or resentful of another's considered-advantage with the desire to gain the same 'advantage' for yourselves)
• and all slanders (openly uttering-forth all kinds of statements against another),

…as now-begotten babies (born just now, very recently brought forth from the womb, newborn infants) you must earnestly long (have a real longing, desire on-top of what you already have) for the…

• logical (pertaining to reason, the correct calculation as breast-milk or formula to feed an infant [this has the same root as the Greek word logos which is usually translated “word”])
• un-deceitful (without bait, no catch involved, without any concealed harm in it, guileless)
  • milk (used here as a metaphor for the Word of God, specifically the spoken-matter pertaining to Christ, which is easy to understand as a baby digests milk full of essential vitamins and nutrients needed for healthy growth into maturity)

…for the purpose and result that within the sphere of action of this milk you may be increased (caused to augment, grow, expand) into salvation (with a view to, directed to, and resulting in safety, the standing and state of being saved, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction – all holy-people are presently saved but at a future time we will all receive the fullness of our salvation – this is what we are to grow into; refer also to I Peter 1:5, 7, and 13)

• since/if it is a fact that you tasted that the Lord is benevolent (in the sense that you have already experienced the effects of the Lord being kind; he supplies what is appropriately needed for use in specific situations [this may be a reference to Psalm 34:8, and here the word “Lord” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, in fact some Greek texts read “Christ” instead of “benevolent”]).

Each second and minute and hour and day and month and year that goes-by brings all holy-people (every Christian) nearer in time to the event of Christ's coming to gather us all together with him. When we will be gathered together with Christ we will receive into full manifestation the salvation which God has promised us in Christ. Currently we only have a token/deposit of it, which is the gift of holy spirit, to assure us that we will definitely receive the fullness of our salvation at a future time.

[Reference: Romans 2:4, 12:1; II Thessalonians 2:13 and 14; II Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 6:4 and 5, 9:28.]

Verses 4-8:

^.4towards whom (you are) coming, a living stone – by men indeed having been disapproved², but with God selected, in-honor – ^.5and you yourselves as living stones are being built, a spiritual house, into a holy priesthood to offer-up spiritual sacrifices well-acceptable to God by means of Jesus Christ, ^.6for-this-reason-that it contains in writing, “Look!, I am putting in Sion a stone: (the) extreme-corner, selected, in-honor, and the (person) believing on him may never be brought-down-to-shame.”

^.7Therefore to you, the (people) believing – (he is) the honor; but to (the people) disbelieving – “(the) stone which the (people) building disapproved this (stone) was caused-to-become into (the) head of (the) corner” ^.8and “(the) stone of stumbling and (the) rock of offense”, the (people) being un-persuaded stumble-against the word, into which also they were put.

You are presently coming (going in the direction) towards the Lord Jesus Christ who is a stone that is presently and actively alive (refer also to I Peter 1:3 and 23)…

• the stone which indeed has been disapproved by men (rejected by mankind; men tested or examined this stone and their resulting decision was to disapprove of it; they proved it away from themselves; they did not approve of it) and it is still disapproved by men,
• but at rest beside, at or with God (in God’s viewpoint) this stone is:
  • selected (chosen-out, elected),
  • in-honor (within the appropriate estimation of value or price)

…and emphatically you yourselves in comparison to living (alive) stones are being built (edified)…

• a spiritual house (a building in the figurative sense, not the literal sense of a physical building, and the constitution of this house is spirit)
• into a holy priesthood (a body of people who are sanctified, separated, set-apart to/for God to serve Him by performing priestly service)
  • to offer-up (to bring, carry, bear upwards making the presentation of) spiritual sacrifices well-acceptable (favorably receivable)
    • to/by God
    • by means of (through) Jesus Christ.

The verb translated “being built” and the noun “house” come from the Greek word, oikos, from which many other Greek words come. These words, which all come from the same root-word, may be translated into English as: house, to build a house, household, householders, to build, building, to dwell, dwelling, to inhabit, habitation, to edify, edification, plus many other words in the English language, but we ought to understand that when reading any one of these words they all relate to each other even though in English it is difficult to consistently use the same basic word in every rendering of it to communicate the meaning. Also, it is used figuratively referring to the action or process of building upwards and establishing.

Explaining verses 4 and 5, Peter continues: on account of this reason that it contains within the writing (referring to the old covenant writing of Isaiah 8:11-15 and 28:14-16)…

• “Look (behold, see, pay attention)!, I presently and actively place in Sion (Sion/Zion, the place where God dwells and proclaims His salvation and pronounces His judgment; on earth this literally refers to the city of David, Jerusalem, part of which contains the mount/hill called Sion/Zion) a stone:
  • the extreme-corner (the pointed-corner, the tip, top angle being the extremity which is necessary to bear, support and integrate the whole building because of its position in relation to the rest of this building or house),
    • [The cornerstone is laid to be the joining and supporting strength to the two walls which are connected to it. Christ Jesus is the one in whom all holy-people, from both the Israeli and the Gentile backgrounds, are being connected (Ephesians 2:13-22). We are limbs of his one spiritual body – if Christ Jesus were not the extreme-corner, then there could not be any building, no house!]
  • selected (as verse 4 above),
  • in-honor (as verse 4 above),
• and the person who is presently and actively believing on him (having faith, trusting upon the Christ - the stone)
  • would not at any time be brought down to shame (caused to have the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt bringing reproach having recognized and being sorry for one's own performance of an improper, ignominious or dishonorable deed from God's point of view; this person would definitely not be made to feel shame before another).”

Therefore with respect to you, the people who are believing upon the living stone, the Christ –

• he is the honor (the one esteemed valuable, deemed to be worthy of price; Christ is in the position of honor relative to believers);

…but with respect to the people disbelieving (who do not presently and actively believe upon the living stone, do not have faith in what the Christ says and does, do not trust him) –  

• “the stone which the people who are building disapproved (they tested, examined it and their resulting decision was to disapprove of it, they proved it away-from themselves, they rejected the stone)
  • this stone was caused-to-become into the head of the corner (it came to pass to be the corner’s head; this stone was caused to come into being the cornerstone, the chief-part of the angle of God’s house, building, temple – it is founded and based upon the Lord Jesus Christ for without him the building could not be built)”
• and
• “the stone of stumbling (the stone that they struck themselves against)
  • and the rock of offense (the un-movable and un-moving rock, which was a trap-stick, the cause for stumbling, the offense if a person did not take heed to it)”,

…the people who are actively unwilling to be persuaded (who are not convinced)…

• stumble (beat, strike)
• against the word (against the spoken account which contains individual words constituting what was spoken by God revealing His inner thoughts regarding this stone, the Christ),

…into which stone also they were put (they were also set, placed with a view-to or directed-to this stone, the Christ). These disbelieving people were given the same opportunity by God, but they decided to reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Reference: Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:11-15, 28:14-16; Matthew 7:25, 16:16-20, 21:42; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:32 and 33, 10:8-11, 12:1; I Corinthians 3:11 and 16, 10:4; Ephesians 2:19-22; Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 2:7 and 9, 3:6, 6:18-20, 13:15 and 16.]

Verses 9 and 10:

^.9But you (are) a selected genus, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people into an acquisition, so-that you may announce the virtues of the (One) having called you out-from darkness into His marvelous light; ^.10the (people who were) at-some-time not a people, but now (you are) a people of God; the (people who were) not having been shown-mercy², but now (you are) having been shown-mercy.

You (all holy-people who are the living stones, believers who have the gift of holy spirit within you; refer to I Peter 1:1-3, 21, 23, and verses 2, 5, 7 above – this is not referring to those who reject Jesus the Christ who is the son of the living God – you true Christians) are…

• a selected genus (a kind, race, class, sort of beings, which is elect, chosen-out from other kinds of beings),
• a kingly priesthood (a royal, regal body of people who serve God by performing priestly service; refer also to verse 5 above),
• a holy nation (a group of people that is sanctified, separated, set-apart to/for God; the word translated “nation” can also be translated as “Gentile” depending on the context – here it refers to a nation consisting of all holy-people from the Judean/Israeli and the Gentile/other-nation backgrounds),
• a people into an acquisition (the word “people” here is a singular noun laos meaning: a mass or group of people collectively as one unit, one united assembly with a view-to, directed-to that-which God has made you to be around/about Himself; all holy-people are God's acquisition now),

…in such a manner that you would announce (message, relate, report out from yourselves)…

• the virtues (the eminence of good qualities and power, excellent standard of what is right/correct)
  • of the One (God)
  • Who called (invited) you
    • out-from darkness (from the inside to the outside of absolute darkness)
    • into His marvelous light (from the outside to the inside of God’s absolute light which is astonishing, wonderful and amazing);
  • who were during some past time not a people (you holy-people were not a mass or group of people collectively as one unit, as one united assembly – there were no Christians / holy-people having the spirit of Christ within them prior to the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2),
    • but at the present time you holy-people (true Christians who have received the gift of holy spirit) are a people belonging to God (God’s people);
  • who were during a past time not having been shown mercy (not given active relief whereby merited judgment or punishment was withheld from you) and continuing not shown mercy (you were among those people whether of the Judean / Israeli background or of the Gentile / other-nation background who are still not shown mercy because they continue to reject the Lord Jesus Christ),
    • but at the present time you have already been shown mercy (the moment you believed what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, you received mercy and became holy by receiving the gift of holy spirit).

God has made us (all holy-people) to be what we are spiritually preserving us for the fullness of His promise to come to pass in the future. We will receive all that is due to us and God will receive all that is due to Him in accordance with His promise. We could not be God’s acquisition unless we had already believed what He has given us to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Reference: Exodus 19:6; Hosea 2:23; Acts 15:14, 20:28, 26:18; Romans 9:23-26, 11:32; I Corinthians 12:13; II Corinthians 4:6; Galatians 1:6, 3:8 and 28; Ephesians 1:13 and 14, 5:8; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 1:12 and 13; I Thessalonians 5:9; II Thessalonians 2:14; I Timothy 6:16; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 5:5-10, 10:39; Revelation 1:6, 5:9 and 10.]

Verses 11 and 12:

^.11Loved-people¹, I encourage as sojourners and (temporary) residents to refrain-yourselves-from the fleshly intense-yearnings, the-ones-which serve-as-soldiers against the soul, ^.12having your behavior beautiful among the Gentiles in order that in that-which they slander you as bad-doers, looking-on (the results) out-from the beautiful works they may glorify God in (the) day of overseership.

Peter addresses the holy-people as loved¹ – beloved, truly you are loved by God and by myself with God’s kind of love (refer to I Peter chapter 1 for explanation of “love¹”). He continues:

I encourage (exhort, call you beside me as a concerned father or mother would call their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do what is right) you who are Godly-loved people…

• in comparison to
• sojourners (people who house or dwell as temporary residents, as settlers beside or near the family, but who do not have the citizenship rights as the true dwellers have) and
• temporary residents (people who are the diaspora, dispersion, those who live in parts of the world away from Jerusalem)

…to refrain yourselves (abstain, hold yourselves back away) from…

• the fleshly intense-yearnings (the lusts, strong desires fixed or attached upon certain objects belonging-to, proceeding-from, relating-to, characterized-by flesh, the appetites of the flesh, the physical realm),
  • emphatically and specifically these are the intense yearnings which are serving as soldiers (in service soldiering during battle/war)
    • directed downwards against the soul (contrary to the life of your body currently evidenced by breathing, and figuratively referring to your character and disposition),

…having your behavior (presently and actively holding your mode of living, way of turning-up, your manner of moving-about during everyday living)…

• with what quality? – beautiful (having a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness)
• when or where? – among the Gentiles (the people belonging to the lands where you are now living, the people of nations other-than Israel/Judah, different ethnic groups, those who have not yet believed what God says regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and thus they have not yet received the gift of holy spirit; the people who are not holy-people, not Christians)
• why? – for the purpose and result that
  • in that-which they slander you as bad-doers (they openly utter forth all kinds of statements against you as though you were people who do bad things),
• looking-on the results (while they are seeing as spectators, perceiving with their eyes, making an overview, observing as onlookers of what is produced)
  • out-from the beautiful works that you perform (the deeds, activities expending your energy producing effects that have a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness),
• they may glorify God (they would give the importance, splendor and renown to the only true God)
  • in the day of overseership (during the period of time when the Gentiles living in those areas where you are now will be performing an overseeing function, the work of watching, scoping what you are doing, carrying out their duty or function to have watchful-care and guardianship pertaining to their own forms of government over their citizens and those living within their borders).

[Reference: Matthew 5:16; Galatians 3:28 and 29; James 4:1; I Peter 1:1 and 17.]

Verses 13-17:

^.13You must be subject to all manly creation because-of the Lord, whether to a king as being-superior, ^.14or to leaders as being sent by means of him with-a-view-to vengeance of bad-doers but praise of good-doers, ^.15because thus is the intention of God: (you) doing-good, to muzzle the not-knowledge of the thoughtless men, ^.16as freemen and not having the freedom as a cover-over of badness but as slaves of God. ^.17You must honor all-people; you must love¹ the brotherhood; you must be fearful (towards) God; you must honor the king.

You must be subject to (in subjection to, be submissive to, be arranged in the position of being underneath)…

• all manly creation (human creation, every created-thing in the manly or human realm, that-which has been brought into being pertaining to mankind)
  • on account of the Lord Jesus Christ,
• whether to a king
  • as being-superior (holding a position or rank of authority over you, which should be for the purpose of protecting you, like a rock projection jutting-out above and beyond what is under it and thereby sheltering what is underneath from rain or anything else coming downwards),
• or to leaders
  • as being sent from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ with a view to (into, directed-to, for the purpose of)
    • vengeance of bad-doers (the execution of right/justice, revenge of/against those who perform things that do not issue from God, which are contrary to His intention)
    • but praise of good-doers (applause, acclaim of/towards those who perform things that issue from God, which are according to His intention),

…because the intention of God (God’s will, His active volition and desire) is in this manner:

• you doing-good (actively performing that-which issues from God; God is the One Who issues His goodness and He sets the standard to be conformed to by you),
  • to muzzle (as an animal having a fastening or covering over its mouth preventing it from opening its mouth to eat or bite – used here in the figurative sense of preventing the mouth from opening to speak) – to muzzle what? – 
    • the not-knowledge (the lack of knowledge, ignorance, without personal knowledge pertaining to God)
    • of the thoughtless men (the people who do not think in their minds, who are without Godly thoughts and so are senseless or foolish),
• as freemen (people who are at liberty from service to other men)
  • and not having (holding) the freedom as a cover-over of badness (a cover on-top-of every form of being bad so that badness is concealed and hidden from view)
  • but on the contrary, having the freedom
    • as slaves of God (people who serve as slaves, bond-servants belonging to God, bound to serve Him).

You must honor all-people (esteem everyone according to their holding-worth, their estimated value or price from God's viewpoint on any occasion).

• You must continue loving¹ the brotherhood (the band of brothers, referring to all holy-people). To "love¹" means to love the same way as God loves, to manifest God's love towards another (refer to I Peter chapter 1 for explanation of “love¹”). All holy-people (true Christians) are brothers in the spirit category because all of us have received the same gift of holy spirit, and therefore we are brothers of the Lord Jesus Christ because God is his Father and God is the Father of all holy-people.
• You must continue being fearful towards God (having fright, being afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior and so you should be manifesting the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards God).

You must continue honoring the king (esteem the sovereign, the monarch who currently has royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power in the area in which you are living, according to his holding-worth, his estimated value or price from God's viewpoint).

Only Godly leadership and authority have true reality since God raised Christ up giving him his spiritual body. All other leadership and authority have no effect spiritually to/with/against Christ, the head, and his body of holy-people (refer to Matthew 28:28; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 1:19-23; Colossians 1:13-19 and 27, and 2:9-12; Hebrews 1:1-4, 13:7). However, as we await the coming of Christ to gather us together, all holy-people ought to behave ourselves in accordance with God our Father and with our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what adverse things may come against us from the devil/satan via whatever means or method.

[Reference: Matthew 2:6, 10:18, 22:21, 27:2; Acts 4:13-22, 15:22, 23:24, 26:30; Romans 6:22, 13:4 and 7; II Corinthians 10:6 and 8; Galatians 5:13; I Thessalonians 4:6; II Thessalonians 1:8; I Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:1, 3:1-7; Hebrews 2:11, 10:30, 13:7, 17 and 24; James 1:1; I Peter 1:17.]

Verse 18

^.18Household-servants, (you must be) subjecting-yourselves in all fear to (your) masters, not only to the good and considerate but also to the crooked (masters).

The servants living in your masters’ houses, you must be subjecting yourselves (cause yourselves to be in submission, to be arranged in the position of being underneath, under authority) within the sphere of action of all fear to your masters (within every fright, being afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior and so household-servants should be manifesting the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards your masters)…

• not only (alone) to
  • the good (those who behave in a manner that is perfectly admirable from God's viewpoint exercising the goodness that issues from God)
  • and considerate masters (those who behave in a manner that is disposed to yielding appropriately with fitting suitableness considering the rights of others in a righteous/just manner, which is according to what God and the Lord Jesus Christ indicate)
• but on the contrary, also to
  • the crooked masters (those who behave in a manner that is bent, as though being bent-sideways from dryness, lacking liquid, refusing the water and nourishment from God, rejecting His Word and the gift of holy spirit, and therefore these masters are not straight-forward but are bent away from living towards the only true God and the Lord Jesus Christ and all the things of God).

The word translated “masters” here is despotes, not the Greek word kurios usually translated ‘lord.’ “Masters” (despotes) means: the sovereign lords, the absolute masters, the despots, those who have absolute dominion, ownership, supreme authority, and unlimited power within that working relationship – similar to ‘employers’ in the work situation today. This word “masters” is used to emphasize that the masters are over their own servants whereby their servants are in complete subjection to them (figuratively having their feet bound) in relation to service during everyday living.

[Reference: Acts 2:40; Romans 14:4; Ephesians 5:21-6:9; Philippians 2:15.]

Verses 19-25:

^.19For this (finds) grace – if because-of conscience of God someone bears-up (while) unrighteously suffering sorrows; ^.20for what-kind-of report (would it be) if (while you are) sinning and being buffeted you will patiently-endure? But if (while you are) doing-good and suffering you will patiently-endure – this (finds grace) with God; ^.21for into this you were called, because also Christ suffered on behalf of you leaving-behind an under-writing in order that you may follow-on his footsteps, ^.22who did not do sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth”, ^.23who being reviled he used-to not revile-against (them), suffering he used-to not threaten, but he used-to give-over to the (One) judging righteously; ^.24who himself offered-up our sins in his body on the wooden-stake in order that (after our) having become-away from the sins we may live to the righteousness; by whose wound you were healed, ^.25for you used-to-be as sheep being caused-to-wander but now you were turned-back on the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

In truth, this finds grace (this sort of report about your behavior comes-upon or meets-with favor, which is something freely bestowed without any merit on the recipient's part, bestowed because the giver wants to give by the giver’s own freedom of will to the recipient [grace is not the same as wages, compensation, the exact payment for work done, but it is given over and above any required compensation]; the following finds grace) –

• if
  • on account of conscience of God (a person’s knowing-awareness, the perception of what is right as a result of all that he has already been taught and learned in relation to the one whom he recognizes as his ruler, the one who has authority, and here specifically indicating that this person’s authority is the only true God)
• someone bears-up (he carries the effects pushing down on him as being underneath persecutions, pressures, etc)
• while un-righteously suffering sorrows (experiencing and being affected by grief at different times unjustly, with injustice, in a manner that is not right/just, wrongfully);

…for what kind/sort of report (something called out about you and heard by others) would it be…

• if
  • during the time that you are actively sinning (missing the mark of God’s Word to you, swerving from the truth of what God says)
  • and you are being buffeted (struck as with clenched fists, knocked-about and roughly treated with blows rained on you bruising and hurting you)
• you will patiently-endure (hold-out, bear-up under the buffeting)? However, in this context the unwritten response would be that you are receiving the consequences of your disobedience, which would be the right/just compensation you deserve whether or not you patiently endure.

But contrary to that…

• if
  • while you are doing-good (actively performing that-which issues from God; refer also to verse 15 above)
  • and you are suffering (experiencing, being affected by things contrary to God’s Word and intention)
• you will patiently-endure (hold-out, bear-up under whatever is causing the suffering, remain upright according to God and the things of God)

… – this finds grace (this sort of report regarding your behavior comes-upon or meets-with favor)

• at rest beside, at or with God (in His viewpoint).

In truth, it is into this purpose (with a view to, directed to this objective) you were called (invited), because also Christ suffered (the Anointed-one experienced, was affected by things) on your behalf…

• leaving behind an under-writing (a writing aid, sample, template for you to use and copy from)
• for the purpose and result that you would follow-on his footsteps (continue in the same way/road going after and upon his footprints; metaphorically: tracking on top of his tracks),

…who…

• did not do (he did not perform) sin,
• “neither was deceit found in his mouth (he did not speak any guile or bait as used to catch people by stratagem, by subterfuge)” [this is a reference to Isaiah 53:9],

…who…

• being reviled (while he was being railed-at, insulted, verbally abused)
  • he used to not revile against them (his action of not reviling back in return against those who reviled him continued during a past time being repeated on several occasions),
• suffering (while he was experiencing, being affected by many things)
  • he used to not threaten (his action of not holding-out threats and menacing them continued during a past time being repeated on several occasions),
• but he used to give-over (hand along into the power of another; his action of delivering the whole situation including himself, those who were against him, etc, continued during a past time being repeated on several occasions)
  • to the One Who is presently and actively judging righteously (God is making His decisions passing sentence in a just manner, rightly, with justice, with righteousness);

…who himself offered-up our sins (emphatically he brought, carried, bore upwards making a presentation of/for the sins that we committed) in his body on the wooden-stake (the dead tree post when he was crucified)…

• for the purpose and result that
  • following our having become away (absent, removed) from the sins
    • we may live to the righteousness (we would be alive to the justness, justice, the attributes of justification, the quality of being and doing what is just/right from God's point of view);

…by whose wound you were healed (it was with/by Christ’s welt, the total effect on his body which included his death, that you were caused to recover from illness; he was killed so that holy-people would live, as during the old covenant when there was one lamb killed and one remained alive representing God’s people – we are now alive spiritually and we can behave in a righteous manner [this is a reference to Isaiah 53:5b]),

• in truth, you used-to-be (during a past time, which was before you believed what God says regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and you received the gift of holy spirit, you were continuing to be)
  • as sheep being caused-to-wander (in comparison to sheep being caused to err, not-staying in their rightful place, being led astray from their correct location, like a planet is constantly moving around when viewed from the earth unlike the stars which retain their position relative-to each other [this is a reference to Isaiah 53:6])
• but contrary to that, now you were turned-back on (at the present time you have already been turned back upon)
  • the shepherd (the one who takes care of and protects his people, he exercises the whole office of a shepherd which involves not only feeding with the Word of God, but also leading and guiding and guarding, etc, as a shepherd takes care of his flock of sheep)
  • and overseer (watcher, the one who scopes, the one who has been given the duty or function of having watchful-care and guardianship)
    • of your souls (pertaining to the life of your bodies currently evidenced by breathing, and figuratively referring to your beings, including your character and disposition as you are living your lives).

All holy-people have received the gift of holy spirit, and we have the hope that God promised which is that Christ will gather all of us together with him and we will receive our new spiritual bodies like the one Christ has already received from God (refer to I Corinthians chapter 15 and I Thessalonians 4:13-18). When we will be gathered together with Christ we will receive into full manifestation the salvation that God has promised us in Christ. Currently we only have a token/deposit of it, which is the gift of holy spirit, to assure us that we will definitely receive the fullness of our salvation at a future time.

[Reference: Isaiah chapter 53; Matthew 13:15, 26:67; John 10:1-18; Acts 3:15-18, 9:16, 4:13-31, 12:1-17, 17:3, 28:27; Romans 4:25 and chapter 6; I Corinthians 4:11, 11:23-25; II Corinthians 5:21, 12:7-10; Galatians 3:13 and 14; Ephesians 2:1-7; Philippians 1:29; Colossians 1:22; I Thessalonians 1:9, 5:23; I Timothy 5:10; II Timothy 3:12; Titus 3:3; Hebrews 2:9 and 10, 4:15, 9:26-28, 10:10 and 39, 12:1-3, 12 and 13, 13:11-15 and 20; I Peter 1:9-12, 17 and 23. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]