that the trial of your faith, which is much more precious than gold that is destroyed but proved by fire, may be found to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

to whom it was revealed that they ministered not to themselves but to us those things which have now been declared to you by those who preached to you the good news, with the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, into which the angels desire to look.

but as he that called you is holy be you also holy in all [your] conduct,

knowing that you were not redeemed from your vain mode of life received by tradition from your fathers, with destructible things, silver or gold,

who through him believed in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope may be in God.

as new born babes desire earnestly the pure milk of the word, that you may grow by it to salvation,

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

for it is said in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.

But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should declare the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his glorious light;

having your conduct honorable among the gentiles, that wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, from the good works which they see they may glorify God in the day of visitation,

for this is the will of God, that by well-doing you may silence the ignorance of foolish men;

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you a copy that you should follow his steps,

who being reviled reviled not, suffering threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously,

who himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we having died to sins, may live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.

In like manner let the women be subject to their husbands, that even if some disobey the word, they may be gained through the conduct of their wives without the word,

In like manner let the husbands [do], living together in knowledge with the wife as with a vessel of less strength, deeming them precious, co-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

not returning evil for evil or railing for railing, but on the contrary blessing [your enemies], because to this you are called, that you may inherit blessing.

For he that will love life and see good days, let him withhold his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,

for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who is he that will injure you if you are followers of what is good?

and sanctify the anointed Lord in your hearts, and be always ready with a defense to every one that asks you a reason for the hope that is in you; but with meekness and fear,

having a good conscience, that in what they speak evil of you they may be ashamed who slander your good conduct in Christ.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might lead us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

who were formerly disobedient when the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved by water.

Christ therefore having suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

that you may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh according to the desires of men, but according to the will of God.

in which they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excessive intemperance, blaspheming,

who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the living and dead.

And for this cause was the gospel preached also to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit.

If any one speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God, if any one serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the power for ever and ever; amen.

but as you partake of the sufferings of Christ rejoice, that you may also rejoice exulting at the revelation of his glory.

For it is time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it first begins with us, what will the end be of those that obey not the gospel of God?

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

whom resist, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished by your brothers in the world.

I have written to you in a few words by Silvanus [Silas], a faithful brother as I suppose, exhorting you, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.