1 Peter: Authorship and Date

The first letter from Peter was probably written by a disciple of the apostle Peter at the end of the first century AD.

The letter is attributed to the apostle Peter, but its authorship is a matter of dispute. Many scholars think the letter was written by followers of Peter, who used his name to convey their ideas.

It is not known when the letter was written. Most biblical scholars assume that the letter was written between AD 65 and 90. Comments in the letter referring to a time when people “were still ignorant” (1 Peter 1:14) or to earlier “darkness” (1 Peter 2:9) suggest that primarily first-generation Christians are being addressed.