Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity - A kiss of love; a common method of affectionate salutation in the times of the apostles. See the notes at Romans 16:16.

Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus - That are true Christians. See the Ephesians 6:23 note; Philippians 4:7 note.

Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity - See the notes on Romans 16:16, and on 1 Corinthians 16:20 (note). In the above places the kiss is called a holy kiss; here, φιληματι αγαπης, a kiss of Love; i.e. as a mark of their love to each other, in order that misunderstandings might be prevented. But ten or twelve MSS., with the Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, and Vulgate, have ἁγιῳ, holy; salute one another with a Holy kiss. The difference is not great.

Peace be with you all - May all prosperity, spiritual and temporal, be with all that are in Christ Jesus - at are truly converted to him, and live in his Spirit obedient to his will.

Amen - Is wanting, as usual, in some of the principal MSS. and versions.

The subscriptions are, as in other cases, various.

In the Versions:

The end of the First Epistle of the Apostle Peter. - Syriac.

The First Catholic Epistle of Peter the apostle is ended. - Syriac Philoxenian.

The end of the Epistle of St. Peter; may his supplication preserve us!

Amen. Praise be to the Lord of never ending and eternal glory! Amen. - Arabic.

The First Epistle of Peter is completed; may his intercession be with us!

Amen, and Amen. - Aethiopic, Nothing in the Coptic.

Nothing in the printed Vulgate.

The end of the First Epistle of St. Peter. - Complutensian Polyglott.

The First Epistle of St. Peter is ended. - Bib. Vulgat. Edit. Princ.

continued...

Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity,.... The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions read, "with an holy kiss"; and so some copies, as in Romans 16:16 and elsewhere; See Gill on Romans 16:16; and intends such a kiss, as is not only opposite to everything that is lascivious and impure, but is expressive of true love and affection, and is hearty and sincere: and such a love the Jews call, as the apostle does here, , "a kiss of love" (i); for as Philo the Jew (k) observes, a kiss and love differ, the one may be without the other, a mere compliment, a show of friendship, and not arise from sincere love.

Peace with you all, that are in Christ Jesus; who were chosen in him before the foundation of the world; and appeared to be in him by the effectual calling; and were at least by profession in him, and were in Christ mystical, and incorporated in a Gospel church; the Arabic version reads, "who are in the love of Jesus Christ". To these the apostle wishes peace, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. The Vulgate Latin reads "grace", which is most usual in Paul's epistles. The epistle is closed with

Amen, as is common; the apostle wishing that this might be the case, and believing that it would be.

(i) Zohar in Exod. fol. 60. 3, 4. (k) Quis rerum divin. Haeres. p. 486, 487.

Kiss of charity

Compare 1 Corinthians 16:20.

Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. See PNT Ro 16:16.

14. kiss of charity-Ro 16:16, "an holy kiss": the token of love to God and the brethren. Love and holiness are inseparable. Compare the instance, Ac 20:37.

Peace-Peter's closing salutation; as Paul's is, "Grace be with you," though he accompanies it with "peace be to the brethren." "Peace" (flowing from salvation) was Christ's own salutation after the resurrection, and from Him Peter derives it.

be with you all that are in Christ Jesus-The oldest manuscripts omit "Jesus." In Eph 6:24, addressed to the same region, the same limitation of the salutation occurs, whence, perhaps, Peter here adopts it. Contrast, "Be with you all," Ro 16:24; 1Co 16:23.

5:10-14 In conclusion, the apostle prays to God for them, as the God of all grace. Perfect implies their progress towards perfection. Stablish imports the curing of our natural lightness and inconstancy. Strengthen has respect to the growth of graces, especially where weakest and lowest. Settle signifies to fix upon a sure foundation, and may refer to Him who is the Foundation and Strength of believers. These expressions show that perseverance and progress in grace are first to be sought after by every Christian. The power of these doctrines on the hearts, and the fruits in the lives, showed who are partakers of the grace of God. The cherishing and increase of Christian love, and of affection one to another, is no matter of empty compliment, but the stamp and badge of Jesus Christ on his followers. Others may have a false peace for a time, and wicked men may wish for it to themselves and to one another; but theirs is a vain hope, and will come to nought. All solid peace is founded on Christ, and flows from him.