1 Peter 5:13 is a closing greeting, and its plain meaning is that the believers writing from a place called Babylon send their warm wishes to the readers, along with a young companion named Mark. The verse answers a simple question: who is sending greetings, and why does it matter? Peter wrote this letter to Christians scattered across Asia Minor, and near the end he passes along greetings from a church he calls “she who is in Babylon” and from Mark, whom he calls his son.
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son.
1 Peter 5:13 (WEB)
What 1 Peter 5:13 Means
The phrase “she who is in Babylon” is most naturally read as a way of referring to a congregation, a community of believers that shares Peter’s faith and his concern for the readers. Peter is not writing about a city in the sense of a travel destination. He is saying that a fellow church, one that was also chosen by God, sends its love. The word “chosen together with you” makes the connection explicit: the readers and this distant church belong to the same family of grace.
The second greeting, from “Mark, my son,” is more personal. Peter uses “son” as a term of spiritual affection, the way a teacher or mentor might speak of someone he has trained and loves. Mark, usually identified with the John Mark who wrote the second Gospel, appears in several early Christian writings, and this verse gives a small window into the relationships that held the early church together. The verse does not promise anything in itself. It simply reminds the readers that they are part of a wider circle of people who pray for them and care about them.
The Context of 1 Peter 5:13
First Peter is traditionally attributed to the apostle Peter and was written to Christians living as outsiders in several regions of what is now Turkey. Many of them faced suspicion, social pressure, and sometimes open hostility because of their faith. The letter repeatedly encourages them to stand firm, to live honorably, and to hope in God’s coming glory, even when they suffer.
Just before this verse, Peter writes that God, the source of all grace, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and settle those who have suffered for a little while. The greetings in verse 13 come right after that promise and before the final blessing of peace. Read in that setting, the greeting is not a casual sign-off. It shows the readers that they are not isolated in their hardship, because a sister church and a trusted companion stand with them in the same hope.
Key Phrases in 1 Peter 5:13
Romans 16:16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
(WEB)
Paul also closes a letter with greetings from and to a network of believers, showing that the early church understood itself as a family that expressed love across distances. Reading it beside 1 Peter 5:13 shows how common and important these greetings were.
Colossians 4:10
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, “if he comes to you, receive him”)…
(WEB)
This verse also mentions Mark, describing him as a cousin of Barnabas and a fellow worker for the kingdom. Together with 1 Peter 5:13, it helps readers see Mark as a respected figure in the early Christian mission.
A Short Prayer From 1 Peter 5:13
Lord, thank you for the believers who stand with me, both near and far, and for the bonds of love that you have built among your people. When I feel isolated or weary, remind me that I am chosen together with others in your grace. Help me to reach out with warmth, to pray for my brothers and sisters, and to care for those you have placed in my life. Strengthen my heart to stand firm, trusting in your faithfulness. Amen.
