1 Peter 1:17 (LSB)

Passage

And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourn,

Nearby Context

1 Peter 1:15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct;

1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourn,

1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your futile conduct inherited from your forefathers,

1 Peter 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "address", "father", "impartially", "judges", "each", "conduct", "yourselves", and "fear". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "address" and "father", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "because it is written You shall be..." into verse 18's "knowing that you were not redeemed with...", so "address" and "father" 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 "address" and "father" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.