1 Peter 2:10 (DBY)

Passage

who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 2:8 and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; [who] stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed.

1 Peter 2:9 But *ye* [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light;

1 Peter 2:10 who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I exhort [you], as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1 Peter 2:12 having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through [your] good works, [themselves] witnessing [them], glorify God in [the] day of visitation.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "once", "people", "god's", "enjoying", and "found". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "once", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "But ye are a chosen race a..." into verse 11's "Beloved I exhort you as strangers and...", so "mercy" and "once" 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 "mercy" and "once" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.