1 Peter 1:8 (DBY)

Passage

whom, having not seen, ye love; on whom [though] not now looking, but believing, ye exult with joy unspeakable and filled with [the] glory,

Nearby Context

1 Peter 1:6 Wherein ye exult, for a little while at present, if needed, put to grief by various trials,

1 Peter 1:7 that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire, be found to praise and glory and honour in [the] revelation of Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:8 whom, having not seen, ye love; on whom [though] not now looking, but believing, ye exult with joy unspeakable and filled with [the] glory,

1 Peter 1:9 receiving the end of your faith, [the] salvation of [your] souls.

1 Peter 1:10 Concerning which salvation prophets, who have prophesied of the grace towards you, sought out and searched out;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "having", "seen", "love", "though", "looking", "believing", "exult", and "unspeakable". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "having" and "seen", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "that the proving of your faith much..." into verse 9's "receiving the end of your faith the...", so "having" and "seen" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "having" and "seen" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.