1 Peter 1:18 (WEB)

Passage

knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

Nearby Context

1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”Leviticus 11:44-45

1 Peter 1:17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear:

1 Peter 1:18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

1 Peter 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ;

1 Peter 1:20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knowing", "redeemed", "corruptible", "things", "silver", "gold", "useless", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knowing" and "redeemed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "If you call on him as Father..." into verse 19's "but with precious blood as of a...", so "knowing" and "redeemed" 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 "knowing" and "redeemed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.