Babylon was the name of an ancient city. About 600 years earlier, the king of Babylon attacked the *Jews and carried them away to Babylon (see explanation of 2:4-10). The *Jews never forgot how they suffered in a foreign land. Christians in the church at Rome were now suffering too. So they used ‘Babylon’ as their secret name for Rome. Peter probably visited Rome. He may have written this letter in Rome. The church there wanted to send their greetings to other Christians who were suffering.

Mark is John Mark in Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25. Peter probably calls him ‘my son’ because Peter helped him to become a Christian. Mark was not Peter’s real son.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising