1 PETER

GREETING

1 Peter,a an apostle of Jesus Christ:

To those chosen, living as exilesb dispersedc abroadA in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,d chosene 2 according to the foreknowledgef of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,g to be obedienth and to be sprinkled with the bloodi of Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A LIVING HOPE

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.j Because of his great mercyk he has given us new birthl into a living hopem through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deadn 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable,o undefiled, and unfading, kept in heavenp for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s powerq through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.r 6 You rejoice in this,B even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trialss 7 so that the proven character of your faitht—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fireu—may resultv in praise, glory, and honorw at the revelation of Jesus Christ.x 8 Though you have not seeny him, you love him;z though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoiceaa with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets,ab who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christac within them was indicating when he testified in advancead to the sufferings of Christae and the gloriesaf that would follow.C 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to youag by the Holy Spirit sent from heavenah—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

A CALL TO HOLY LIVING

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action,ai be sober-mindedaj and set your hopeak completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelational of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children,am do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called youan is holy,ao you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.D,ap 17 If you appeal to the Father who judges impartiallyaq according to each one’s work,ar you are to conduct yourselves in reverenceas during your time living as strangers. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of lifeat inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,au 19 but with the precious blood of Christ,av like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.aw 20 He was foreknownax before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last timesay for you. 21 Through him you believe in God,az who raised him from the deadba and gave him glory,bb so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth,E so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other,bc from a pureF heart love one another constantly,G,bd 23 because you have been born againbe—not of perishable seedbf but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.bg 24 For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glorybh like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.H,bi

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.

THE LIVING STONE AND A HOLY PEOPLE

2 Therefore, rid yourselves ofa all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.b 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,A,c so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tastedd that the Lord is good.C,e 4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored byD God—5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthoodE to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Godf through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,g

a chosen and honoredF cornerstone,h

and the one who believes in him

will never be put to shame.G,i

7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected—

this one has become the cornerstone,H,j

8 and

A stone to stumble over,

and a rock to trip over.I,k

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destinedl for this.

9 But you are a chosen race,J,K,m a royal priesthood,L,n a holy nation,M,o a people for his possession,N,p so that you may proclaim the praisesO,P,q of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.r 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,s but now you have received mercy.

A CALL TO GOOD WORKS

11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exilest to abstainu from sinfulv desires that wage war against the soul.w 12 Conductx yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,Q so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.y

13 Submitz to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperorR as the supreme authorityaa 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s willab that you silence the ignoranceac of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,ad but as God’s slaves.ae 17 Honor everyone. Loveaf the brothers and sisters.ag Fear God.ah Honor the emperor.

SUBMISSION OF SLAVES TO MASTERS

18 Household slaves, submit to your mastersai with all reverenceaj not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.ak 19 For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer,al if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

21 For you were called to this, because Christ also sufferedam for you, leaving you an example,an that you should followao in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin,ap and no deceitaq was found in his mouth;S,ar 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judgesas justly. 24 He himself bore our sinsat in his bodyau on the tree;av so that, having died to sins,aw we might live for righteousness.ax By his woundsT,ay you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray,U,az but you have now returned to the Shepherdba and OverseerV of your souls.