independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The salutation 1:1–2
1
Πέτρος ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦindependent — the sender — a verbless superscription, the apostleship asserted bare
ἐκλεκτοῖς παρεπιδήμοις διασπορᾶς Πόντου, Γαλατίας, Καππαδοκίας, Ἀσίας, καὶ Βιθυνίας,phrase modifier — dative of address — elect yet exiles, swept across five provinces of Asia Minor
2
κατὰ πρόγνωσιν θεοῦ πατρός,phrase modifier — frame 1 — the election's source: the Father's foreknowledge
ἐν ἁγιασμῷ πνεύματος,phrase modifier — frame 2 — its sphere: the Spirit's consecrating work
εἰς ὑπακοὴν καὶ ῥαντισμὸν αἵματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ·phrase modifier — frame 3 — its goal: covenant obedience and sprinkled blood (Exod 24:7–8)
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη.independent — the greeting — with the optative πληθυνθείη (cf. Dan 4:1 LXX)
The blessing — begotten anew to a living hope 1:3–12
vv. 3–5 — begotten anew: a living hope, an unfading inheritance, a guarded people
3
Εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,independent — the berakah — verbless doxology, as Eph 1:3 and 2 Cor 1:3
ὁ κατὰ τὸ πολὺ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἀναγεννήσας ἡμᾶςparticipial — attributive — expands ὁ θεός: the new begetting, out of his great mercy
εἰς ἐλπίδα ζῶσανpurpose — goal 1 of the begetting — hope alive because its object is
δι' ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκ νεκρῶν,phrase modifier — the means — the new birth dated to Easter morning
4
εἰς κληρονομίαν ἄφθαρτον καὶ ἀμίαντον καὶ ἀμάραντον,purpose — goal 2 — the triple alpha-privative: untouched by death, stain, or time
τετηρημένην ἐν οὐρανοῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς,participial — perfect participle — the inheritance already banked and standing kept
5
τοὺς ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ φρουρουμένους διὰ πίστεωςparticipial — the inheritance kept for you, and you garrisoned (φρουρέω) for it
εἰς σωτηρίαν ἑτοίμην ἀποκαλυφθῆναι ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ.purpose — the guarding's goal — salvation finished, only waiting to be unveiled
vv. 6–9 — the rejoicing: grieved in trials now, aimed at praise and glory
6
ἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε,relative — on ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ — the antecedent is disputed (the last time, or all of vv. 3–5); ἀγαλλιᾶσθε read as indicative
ὀλίγον ἄρτι εἰ δέον ἐστὶν λυπηθέντες ἐν ποικίλοις πειρασμοῖς,participial — concessive — with the parenthetic protasis εἰ δέον ἐστίν folded in: grief real, brief, and only if needed
7
ἵνα τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεωςpurpose — the trials' purpose — the subject suspended over its verb (εὑρεθῇ below)
πολυτιμότερον χρυσίου τοῦ ἀπολλυμένου, διὰ πυρὸς δὲ δοκιμαζομένου,phrase modifier — the gold comparison — even fire-proved gold finally perishes; proved faith does not
εὑρεθῇ εἰς ἔπαινον καὶ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν ἐν ἀποκαλύψει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ·purpose — the suspended ἵνα clause lands — the verdict pronounced at the ἀποκάλυψις
8
ὃν οὐκ ἰδόντες ἀγαπᾶτε,relative — on Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ — love without sight (cf. John 20:29)
εἰς ὃν ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες πιστεύοντες δὲ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ,relative — the pair completed — the ἀγαλλιᾶσθε of v. 6 returns, its joy already touched with glory
9
κομιζόμενοι τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν σωτηρίαν ψυχῶν.participial — present participle — already receiving what the testing aims at
vv. 10–12 — the prophets searched out this salvation; even angels crane to look
10
Περὶ ἧς σωτηρίας ἐξεζήτησαν καὶ ἐξηραύνησαν προφῆταιrelative — connecting relative — the chain keeps climbing: the salvation just named becomes the prophets' quarry
οἱ περὶ τῆς εἰς ὑμᾶς χάριτος προφητεύσαντες,participial — attributive — they spoke of a grace addressed to you
11
ἐραυνῶντεςparticipial — the search resumed in one word, opening the indirect question
εἰς τίνα ἢ ποῖον καιρὸν ἐδήλου τὸ ἐν αὐτοῖς πνεῦμα Χριστοῦcontent — indirect question — when, and what sort of when; the Spirit in the prophets is Christ's own
προμαρτυρόμενον τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παθήματα καὶ τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα δόξας·participial — the Spirit's pre-testimony — sufferings, then glories: the letter's whole pattern in one line
12
οἷς ἀπεκαλύφθηrelative — on προφῆται — their search answered by revelation
ὅτι οὐχ ἑαυτοῖς ὑμῖν δὲ διηκόνουν αὐτά,content — the content — servants of a later generation's good news
ἃ νῦν ἀνηγγέλη ὑμῖν διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελισαμένων ὑμᾶς ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ ἀποσταλέντι ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ,relative — the same things, now preached — and the same Spirit, now sent from heaven
εἰς ἃ ἐπιθυμοῦσιν ἄγγελοι παρακύψαι.relative — the closing widening — παρακύψαι, to stoop and peer in (cf. John 20:5)
The call to holiness 1:13–21
vv. 13–16 — hope set fully; holy as the Caller is holy
13
Διὸ ἀναζωσάμενοι τὰς ὀσφύας τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν,participial — fronted — leans on ἐλπίσατε below; Διὸ turns the whole berakah into ground, and the Exodus posture (Exod 12:11) tucks the mind's robes for travel
νήφοντες,participial — fronted — leans on ἐλπίσατε below; νήφω, the letter's refrain (4:7; 5:8)
τελείως ἐλπίσατε ἐπὶ τὴν φερομένην ὑμῖν χάριν ἐν ἀποκαλύψει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.independent — the section's first imperative — τελείως read with ἐλπίσατε: hope without remainder
14
ὡς τέκνα ὑπακοῆς,comparative — fronted frame — leans on γενήθητε (v. 15) below; ὑπακοή echoes v. 2
μὴ συσχηματιζόμενοι ταῖς πρότερον ἐν τῇ ἀγνοίᾳ ὑμῶν ἐπιθυμίαις,participial — fronted negative — leans on γενήθητε below; συσχηματιζόμενοι as in Rom 12:2
15
ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν καλέσαντα ὑμᾶς ἅγιονphrase modifier — fronted norm — leans on γενήθητε below; the standard is the Caller himself
καὶ αὐτοὶ ἅγιοι ἐν πάσῃ ἀναστροφῇ γενήθητε,independent — the command lands — holiness across the whole ἀναστροφή
16
διότι γέγραπται·cause — the scriptural ground
Ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε,content — Lev 19:2 (cf. 11:44–45) — the Holiness Code's refrain
ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος.cause — the reason inside the quotation — verbless: God's holiness needs no copula
vv. 17–21 — walk in fear: ransomed at the price of Christ's blood
17
καὶ εἰ πατέρα ἐπικαλεῖσθε τὸν ἀπροσωπολήμπτως κρίνοντα κατὰ τὸ ἑκάστου ἔργον,conditional — protasis, leaning forward — the condition assumed real: the Father you invoke is also the impartial Judge
ἐν φόβῳ τὸν τῆς παροικίας ὑμῶν χρόνον ἀναστράφητε,independent — the apodosis — παροικία resumes the exile theme of v. 1
18
εἰδότεςparticipial — causal participle — the fear grounded in knowledge, not anxiety
ὅτι οὐ φθαρτοῖς, ἀργυρίῳ ἢ χρυσίῳ, ἐλυτρώθητε ἐκ τῆς ματαίας ὑμῶν ἀναστροφῆς πατροπαραδότου,content — the ransom stated negatively first — λυτρόω: slave-market and Exodus language
19
ἀλλὰ τιμίῳ αἵματιphrase modifier — the correction — a price beyond bullion
ὡς ἀμνοῦ ἀμώμου καὶ ἀσπίλου Χριστοῦ,comparative — the Passover standard (Exod 12:5), with the genitive Χριστοῦ held back to land last
20
προεγνωσμένου μὲν πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου,participial — μέν — the Lamb in God's πρόγνωσις (v. 2) before creation
φανερωθέντος δὲ ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν χρόνων δι' ὑμᾶςparticipial — δέ — hidden from eternity, unveiled now, and δι' ὑμᾶς: for you
21
τοὺς δι' αὐτοῦ πιστοὺς εἰς θεὸνphrase modifier — apposition to δι' ὑμᾶς — the 'you' defined: believers in God through Christ
τὸν ἐγείραντα αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ δόξαν αὐτῷ δόντα,participial — attributive pair — the God you trust is the God of Easter and exaltation
ὥστε τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν καὶ ἐλπίδα εἶναι εἰς θεόν.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive result — faith and hope land where the blessing began: on God
Love one another — born of imperishable seed 1:22–25
22
Τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἡγνικότες ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰς φιλαδελφίαν ἀνυπόκριτον,participial — fronted perfect participle — leans on ἀγαπήσατε below; the purification already aimed at φιλαδελφία
ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ἀλλήλους ἀγαπήσατε ἐκτενῶς,independent — the imperative — ἐκτενῶς: love at full stretch
23
ἀναγεγεννημένοιparticipial — causal perfect — the berakah's verb (v. 3) returns as the ground of love
οὐκ ἐκ σπορᾶς φθαρτῆς ἀλλὰ ἀφθάρτου,phrase modifier — the seed — the φθαρτός/ἄφθαρτος contrast of vv. 7 and 18 pressed once more
διὰ λόγου ζῶντος θεοῦ καὶ μένοντος.phrase modifier — the means — ζῶντος καὶ μένοντος read with λόγου (a living, abiding word), not with θεοῦ
24
διότι πᾶσα σὰρξ ὡς χόρτος,cause — Isa 40:6 — the ground of the word's power: everything born of flesh's seed is grass
καὶ πᾶσα δόξα αὐτῆς ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου·cause — Isa 40:6 — flesh's best is the meadow's brief flower
ἐξηράνθη ὁ χόρτος,cause — Isa 40:7 — gnomic aorist: it always goes this way
καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἐξέπεσεν·cause — Isa 40:7 — the flower down after the grass
25
τὸ δὲ ῥῆμα κυρίου μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.cause — Isa 40:8 — the quotation's point: μένει answers μένοντος (v. 23)
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν εἰς ὑμᾶς.independent — the identification — pesher-like: Isaiah's abiding ῥῆμα is the gospel you heard
Analysis. The chapter's engine is the berakah of vv. 3–12, and the layout lets it climb the way Eph 1:3–14 does: after the verbless Εὐλογητός doxology almost nothing returns to the margin — the sentence hands itself forward from ὁ ἀναγεννήσας through the two εἰς-goals (a living hope, an unfading inheritance) down the guarded ὑμᾶς into the last time, where ἐν ᾧ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε turns joy and testing around each other, the suspended ἵνα clause lands on εὑρεθῇ at the revelation of Jesus Christ, the twin ὅν/εἰς ὅν relatives hang love and unspeakable joy on that name, and a connecting Περὶ ἧς σωτηρίας keeps climbing rather than resetting, so the blessing stair-steps to depth 14 at the angels craning to look in. The holiness call (vv. 13–21) inverts the shape: fronted teal participles and dashed frames lean forward, protasis-like and unanchored, on the flush-left imperatives beneath them — girding and sobriety over ἐλπίσατε, the ὡς τέκνα frame with its μή/ἀλλά pair over γενήθητε, the εἰ protasis over ἀναστράφητε — while εἰδότες opens the ransom chain that delays Χριστοῦ to the very end of v. 19 and then hangs the μέν/δέ pair (foreknown, manifested) from that one name. Verses 22–25 repeat the figure in miniature: a fronted perfect participle over ἀγαπήσατε, the ground ἀναγεγεννημένοι with its seed and word, and the Isa 40:6–8 catena set as a single cause-column under λόγου before the flush-left pesher landing, τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ ῥῆμα. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: the three prepositional frames of v. 2 qualify ἐκλεκτοῖς (the election's source, sphere, and goal), not ἀπόστολος; ἐν ᾧ (v. 6) is anchored on ἐν καιρῷ ἐσχάτῳ, and ἀγαλλιᾶσθε is read as indicative, not imperative; εἰ δέον ἐστίν stays a parenthesis inside the concessive λυπηθέντες line; τελείως is read with ἐλπίσατε (hope fully), not with νήφοντες; Χριστοῦ (v. 19) is the delayed genitive of αἵματι — precious blood, as of a flawless lamb, Christ's; and ζῶντος … καὶ μένοντος (v. 23) is read with λόγου (a living and abiding word) rather than with θεοῦ, the quotation's μένει being the layout's warrant. Each dependent line sits exactly one column deeper than its parent, directly beneath the dotted-underlined word it hangs from.