From the Foundation of the World

1 Peter 1:18

1 Peter 1:18–20 NIV84

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

… before the creation of the world

Titus 1:1–3 NIV84

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,

Titus 1:

… before the beginning of time

Revelation 13:8 NIV84

8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

Creation of the World -

Revelation 17:8 NIV84

8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.

Creation of the World

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament καταβολή

In the NT the word is used 1. for the “foundation of the world,”1 in the phrase ἀπὸ (πρὸ) καταβολῆς κόσμου, often to denote time, Mt. 13:35; Lk. 11:50; Hb. 4:3; 9:26, but predominantly in the context of salvation history. Thus ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου expresses the eternity of the divine plan of salvation, which was conceived before all ages and which is fulfilled in the last time, Mt. 25:34; Rev. 13:8; 17:8. In the form πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου the phrase expresses the pretemporality of the divine action, Jn. 17:24 (love for the Son), 1 Pt. 1:20 (the election of the Son), Eph. 1:4 (the election of believers). The Rabbis speak similarly of the divine foreordination from the beginning of creation.

2. In Hb. 11:11 δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος is used of the sexual function of the male. Though his ability to procreate had failed (v. 12: νενεκρωμένου), Abraham received the power to do so through faith in God’s promise. On the Jewish view, καταβολὴ σπέρματος can also be referred to the woman, but in this verse the context, and especially the continuation (v. 12: ἀφʼ ἑνός sc. Abraham; νενεκρωμένου), forces us to take Abraham as the subject in v. 11. An early corruption of the text seems to be responsible for καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα. Westcott-Hort (Nestle) and Rgg. Hb. conjecture αὐτῇ Σάρρᾳ, “in sexual intercourse with Sarah”; others regard καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα as a gloss.

Hauck

Word Pictures in the New Testament 1 Peter 1:20

Before the foundation of the world (προ καταβολης κοσμου [pro katabolēs kosmou]). This precise curious phrase occurs in John 17:24 in the Saviour’s mouth of his preincarnate state with the Father as here and in Eph. 1:4. We have ἀπο καταβολης κοσμου [apo katabolēs kosmou] in Matt. 25:34 (κοσμου [kosmou] omitted in Matt. 13:35); Luke 11:50; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; Rev. 13:8; 17:8. Καταβολη [Katabolē] (from καταβαλλω [kataballō]) was originally laying the foundation of a house (Heb. 6:1). The preincarnate Messiah appears in the counsels of God also in 1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 1:26f.; Eph. 1:9f.; 3:9–11; Rom. 16:25; 1 Tim. 1:9. But was manifested (φανερωθεντος δε [phanerōthentos de]). First aorist (ingressive) passive participle of φανεροω [phaneroō], referring to the Incarnation in contrast with the preexistence of Christ (cf. John 1:31; 1 John 3:5, 8). At the end of the times (ἐπʼ ἐσχατου των χρονων [ep’ eschatou tōn chronōn]). Like ἐπʼ ἐσχατου των ἡμερων [ep’ eschatou tōn hēmerōn] (Heb. 1:2). The plural χρονοι [chronoi], doubtless referring to successive periods in human history until the fullness of the time came (Gal. 4:4). For your sake (δἰ ὑμας [di’ humās]). Proof of God’s love, not of their desert or worth (Acts 17:30f.; Heb. 11:39f.).