First Peter

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, 7that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: 8whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. 12To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

13Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: 15but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 16because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy. 17And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear: 18knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: 20who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake, 21who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. 22Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: 23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth. 24For,

All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass.

The grass withereth, and the flower falleth:

25But the word of the Lord abideth for ever.

And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.

2 Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation; 3if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, 5ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6Because it is contained in scripture,

Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:

And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

7For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve,

The stone which the builders rejected,

The same was made the head of the corner;

8and,

A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence;

for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. 15For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. 17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

18Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. 25For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.