1 Peter 5:13
“She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son.”
What does 1 Peter 5:13 mean?
Peter is ending his letter with personal greetings from the church community around him. "She who is in Babylon" likely refers to the church as a whole (churches were sometimes called "she" in early Christian writing), and Peter's mention of being chosen alongside them emphasizes their shared faith and standing with God. Mark, whom Peter calls "my son," was probably a close spiritual companion, possibly the same John Mark mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. These simple closing words remind us that faith is never just an individual experience—we're part of a larger family of believers, and those connections matter deeply enough to be worth mentioning as Peter closes his encouragement to people facing real hardship.