but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to respond to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence,

But ye are the chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that ye should show forth the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is benevolent;

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

he himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose wound ye were healed.

Be temperate and vigilant because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour,

Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Christ, who according to his great mercy has begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, from the dead,

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who waited upon God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands,

casting all your cares upon him, for he cares for you.

Let each one according to the gift that he has received, administer it unto the others, as a good steward of the diverse graces of God.

chosen (according to the foreknowledge of God the Father) in sanctification of the Spirit, to obey and be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, the Christ, Grace and peace, be multiplied unto you.

knowing that ye have been ransomed from your vain conversation (which you received from your fathers), not with corruptible things like silver and gold,

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that also those who do not obey the Word, may be won without a word by the conversation of their wives,

Because for this were ye called: for the Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps

The elders who are among you I exhort (I am also an elder with them and a witness of the afflictions of the Christ, and also a participant of the glory that shall be revealed).

being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever.

Therefore, having the loins of your understanding girded with temperance, wait perfectly in the grace that is presented unto you when Jesus, the Christ, is manifested unto you,

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

receiving the end of your faith, even the saving health of your souls.

Unto the figure of which the baptism that does now correspond saves us (not taking away the uncleanness of the flesh, but giving testimony of a good conscience before God) by the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ,

as newborn babes, desire the rational milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby in health;

coming unto whom (is the living Stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious),

ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, well pleasing to God by Jesus, the Christ.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them wisely, giving honour unto the woman, as unto a more fragile vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers not be hindered.

Peter, apostle of Jesus, the Christ, to the strangers scattered in Pontus, in Galatia, in Cappadocia, in Asia, and in Bithynia,

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from the carnal desires which war against the soul

Beloved, think it not strange when you are tried by fire (which is done to prove you) as though some strange thing happened unto you,

Therefore, be subject to every human ordinance that is of the Lord, whether it be to a king or to a superior,

Likewise, young people, be subject to the elders in such a manner that you are all subject to one another. Be clothed with humility of will, for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Having purified your souls in the obedience of the truth, by the Spirit, in unfeigned brotherly love, love one another with a pure heart fervently,

And finally, be ye all of one consent, of one affection, loving each other fraternally, merciful, courteous,

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

but as he who has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom ye are made daughters, doing well and not being afraid of any terror.

In which ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are afflicted in diverse temptations,

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

who by him do believe God, who raised him up from the dead and has given him glory: that your faith and hope might be in God.

who are kept in the virtue of God by faith, to attain unto the saving health which is made ready to be manifested in the last time.

Having therefore left all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all murmurings,

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.

And if ye invoke as Father, he who without respect of persons judges according to the work of each one, converse in fear the entire time of your sojourning here,

But the end of all things is at hand; be ye, therefore, temperate and watch unto prayer.

for it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Since the Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, be ye also armed with the same thought; for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth,

Feed the flock of God which is among you, caring for her, not by force, but willingly; not for shameful lucre, but with willing desire;

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God; if anyone ministers, let them do it according to the virtue which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus, the Christ, unto whom is glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Of which saving health the prophets, (who prophesied of the grace that was to come in you) have enquired and searched diligently;

For it is time that the judgment begins from the house of God; and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of those that do not obey the gospel of God?

whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though at present ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;

Let their adorning not be outward with ostentatious hairdos and wearing of gold nor in composition of apparel,

and have your honest conversation among the Gentiles, so that, in that which they murmur about you as of evildoers, having witnessed your good works, they may glorify God in the day of visitation.

let him separate himself from evil and do good; let him seek peace and follow it.

But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus, the Christ, after ye have suffered a little while, he himself perfects, confirms, strengthens, and establishes you.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and humane, but also to the unjust.

that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold (which perishes, nevertheless it is tried with fire), might be found unto praise and glory and honour when Jesus, the Christ, is made manifest;

which in the time past were disobedient, when once the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being made ready, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are to be accomplished in the company of your brethren that are in the world.

but with the precious blood of the Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without contamination,

already ordained from before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for love of you,

as obedient sons, not conforming yourselves with the former desires that you had before in your ignorance,

but the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of the afflictions of the Christ, so that also in the revelation of his glory, ye may rejoice in triumph.

For this is the will of God, that in well doing ye may silence the ignorance of vain men,

having a good conscience, so in that which they murmur against you as of evildoers, those that blaspheme your good conversation in the Christ may be confused.

For it is better (if the will of God so desires) that ye suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

and unto governors as unto those that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those that do well.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother; (according to my reckoning), I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which ye stand.

Greet one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

considering your chaste conversation which is in fear.

For what glory is it if, when ye are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is due to grace from God.

So let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as desirous of the things of others.

And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, where shall the unfaithful and the sinner appear?

so that now the time that remains in the flesh, he might live, not unto the lusts of men, but unto the will of God.

And it seems strange to those that speak evil of you, that ye do not run with them to the same unchecked dissolution;

in which he also went and preached unto the imprisoned spirits,

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

unto the incorruptible inheritance that cannot be defiled and that does not fade away, conserved in the heavens for you,

Therefore, also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion the chief corner stone, chosen, precious; and he that believes on him shall not be confounded.

For ye were as sheep that had gone astray, but are now converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

who is at the right hand of God, having ascended into heaven, unto whom the angels and the authorities and powers are subject.

And who is he that can harm you, if ye are followers of that which is good?

Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did administer the things, which are now announced unto you by those that have preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.

And when the great Prince of the pastors shall appear, ye shall receive the incorruptible crown of glory.

Lovingly be hospitable one to another without murmuring.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,

But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.

not rendering evil for evil or curse for curse, but to the contrary, blessing, knowing that ye are called, that ye should possess a blessing by inheritance.

searching when and in what point of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, which announced beforehand the afflictions that were to come upon the Christ, and the glory that should follow them.

Unto you, therefore, who believe he is precious; but unto those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

but let the interior adorning of the heart be without corruption, and of an agreeable spirit and peaceful, which is precious in the sight of God.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.

For he that desires to love life and see the good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile;

For this is due to grace, if a man for conscience toward God endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

who, when he was cursed, did not return the curse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously;

If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; for the glory and the Spirit of God rests upon you; certainly on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

Those here at Babylon, chosen together with you, salute you and so does Mark, my son.

and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to those who stumble at the word, not obeying in that for which they were ordained.

For it should suffice us that during the time past of our life we had done the will of the Gentiles, when we conversed in lasciviousness, lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, orgies, and abominable idolatries.

But also if ye suffer anything for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye; therefore, be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled,

as being free, yet not using your liberty to cover maliciousness, but as slaves of God.

Ye who in the time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, who in the time past had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

and not as having lordship over the heritage of the Lord, but in such a manner as to be examples of the flock.

Therefore, let those that are afflicted according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls unto him as unto a faithful Creator, doing good.