The First Epistle Of Peter
1
Greeting
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the elect sojourners of the Dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, reserved in the heavens for you, 5 who by the power of God are being guarded through faith for the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In which you greatly rejoice, though for a little while now, if need be, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, though being tested with fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Whom not having seen, you love, in whom now not seeing, but believing, you rejoice with inexpressible joy and glorified, 9 obtaining for yourselves the outcome your faith—the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation the prophets have sought out and inquired carefully, having prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ in them was revealing when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories which were to follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering these things, which things were now announced to you by those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Called to be Holy
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, stay sober, put your hope fully in the grace brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves after the former lusts, as you did in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all manner of life, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your futile way of life handed down from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb blameless and spotless, 20 having been foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, He was made manifest in these last times for you, 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
The Enduring Word
22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere love for the brothers, love one another fervently from a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. 24 For
“All flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man is as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
and its flower falls away,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
Now this is the word which was proclaimed to you.