1 Peter 5:13 is a closing greeting. Peter sends warm regards from a congregation he calls “she who is in Babylon,” along with a personal greeting from Mark, whom he calls his son. The verse is a small, practical note at the end of a letter written to scattered Christians facing pressure for their faith.
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
Peter is wrapping up his letter with personal greetings, the kind of closing a first-century writer would add to show that the letter came from a real community of people who knew one another. He first names a group he describes as “chosen together with you.” Peter is reminding his readers that the church in Babylon shares their calling and their standing before God, even though they are separated by distance.
The word “Babylon” here is most likely a coded name for Rome, the imperial city that was a hostile power for early Christians. Peter uses the image carefully, so the reader knows the greeting comes from believers living under the same kind of pressure. The second greeting, from “Mark, my son,” names a companion who was likely a close helper in Peter’s ministry. The verse does not promise anything about the future. It simply shows that the church is connected across places and that it is loved.
The Context of 1 Peter 5:13
First Peter was written to Christians scattered across several regions of Asia Minor who were experiencing social hostility and suffering because of their faith. The letter is traditionally attributed to the apostle Peter, and it was sent from a location Peter calls Babylon. Verse 13 is part of the letter’s final section, where Peter encourages believers to stand firm and reminds them that God will restore and strengthen them after their suffering.
Just before the greeting, Peter writes in verse 10 that God will “perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle” those who suffer for a little while. Verse 12 explains that the letter was carried by Silvanus. Verse 14 then calls believers to greet one another with love. Read in this setting, verse 13 is not a random detail. It shows Peter ending his letter by pointing to the shared life of the church, where believers in distant places are bound together by suffering, hope, and mutual care.
Key Phrases in 1 Peter 5:13
Romans 16:16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
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Paul closes his letter to the Romans with a similar call to greet fellow believers warmly. Reading it alongside 1 Peter 5:13 shows that sending greetings across churches was a common and valued part of early Christian life.
Colossians 4:7-9
7 All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.
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Paul also sends commendations and greetings through trusted co-workers, much as Peter does through Silvanus and Mark. These verses reveal the relational network that held the early church together.
A Short Prayer From 1 Peter 5:13
Lord, thank you that you know every congregation scattered across the world, and that you hold each believer close. When I feel far from others who share my faith, remind me that I am chosen together with them. Help me to remember people by name and to greet them with love. Strengthen the bonds between your people, and let my small acts of encouragement point others back to you. Amen.
