but set Christ apart [as] Lord in your hearts, always ready to [make] a defense to anyone who asks you [for] an accounting concerning the hope [that is] in you.

But you [are] a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

if you have tasted that the Lord [is] kind,

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

who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that [we] may die to sins [and] live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed.

Be sober; be on the alert. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

For in the [same] way formerly the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves [by] being subject to their own husbands,

casting all your cares on him, because {he cares} for you.

Just as each one has received a gift, [use] it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and [for] sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

[because you] know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold,

In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the conduct of their wives,

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps,

Therefore [I, your] fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, [and] also a sharer of the glory that is going to be revealed, exhort the elders among you:

[because you] have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Therefore, {when you have prepared your minds for action} [by] being self-controlled, put your hope completely in the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

They will give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

obtaining the goal of your faith, the salvation of [your] souls.

And also, corresponding to [this], baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

like newborn infants long for the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation,

to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen [and] precious in the sight of God.

And [you] yourselves, as living stones, are being built up [as] a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Husbands, in the same way live with [your wives] {knowledgeably}, as with the weaker female vessel, showing [them] honor as fellow heirs also of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen who are residing temporarily in the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Dear friends, I urge [you] as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your soul,

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, [when it] takes place to test you, as [if] [something] strange were happening to you.

Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority,

In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all [of you] clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another fervently from the heart,

And finally, all [of you be] harmonious, sympathetic, showing mutual affection, compassionate, humble,

Because for this reason also the gospel was preached to those who are dead, so that they were judged {by human standards} in the flesh, but they may live in the spirit {by God's standards}.

but as the one who called you [is] holy, [you] yourselves be holy in all [your] conduct,

like Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you have become [when you] do good and are not frightened with respect to any terror.

in which you rejoice greatly, [although] now for a short time, if necessary, you are distressed by various trials,

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the [right] time,

who through him [are] believing in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,

Therefore, ridding yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

Above all, keep your love for one another constant, because love covers a large number of sins.

And if you call on [him] [as] Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence,

Now the end of all [things] draws near. Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for [your] prayers.

for it is written, "You will be holy, because I [am] holy."

Therefore, [because] Christ suffered in the flesh, you also equip yourselves with the same way of thinking, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth,

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

If anyone speaks, [let it be] as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, [let it be] as by the strength that God provides, so that in all [things] God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power {forever and ever}. Amen.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace meant for you sought and made careful inquiry,

For [it is] the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if [it begins] out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God?

whom, [although you] have not seen, you love; in whom now you believe, [although you] do not see [him], and you rejoice greatly with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Let your adornment not be the external [kind], braiding hair and putting on gold jewelry or putting on [fine] clothing,

maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in [the things] in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation.

And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, [after you] have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, [and] establish [you].

Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those [who are] good and gentle, but also to those [who are] unjust.

so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to [result in] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

who were formerly disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, [while] an ark was being constructed, in which a few--that is, eight souls--were rescued through water.

{Resist him}, steadfast in your faith, [because you] know the same [kinds] of sufferings are being accomplished by your community of believers in the world.

but with the precious blood of Christ, like [that of] an unblemished and spotless lamb

who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has been revealed in these last times for you

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires [you used to conform to] in your ignorance,

but the word of the Lord endures {forever}." And this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

To him [be] the power {forever and ever}. Amen.

But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice [and] be glad.

For the will of God is as follows: [by] doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

But [do so] with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in [the things] in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

For [it is] better to suffer for doing good, {if God wills it}, than for doing evil.

or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good.

Through Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I consider [him]), I have written to you {briefly} to encourage [you] and to attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

[when they] see your respectful, pure conduct.

For what credit [is it] if, [when you] sin and are beaten [for it], you endure? But if you endure [when you] do good and suffer [for it], this [finds] favor with God.

By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, {what will become of the ungodly and the sinner}?

in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

with respect to which they are surprised [when] you do not run with [them] into the same flood of dissipation, [and so they] revile [you].

in which also he went [and] proclaimed to the spirits in prison,

Honor all [people], love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.

into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you

For it stands in scripture, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a chosen [and] precious cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame."

For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.

And who [is] the one who will harm you if you are a zealous adherent for what is good?

to whom it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you with reference to the same [things] which now have been announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, {things into which} angels desire to look.

And [when] the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

[Be] hospitable to one another without complaining.

For "all flesh [is] like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and the flower falls off,

But if [someone suffers] as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name.

not repaying evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the other hand blessing [others], because for this [reason] you were called, so that you could inherit a blessing.

investigating for what [person] or which time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating [when he] testified beforehand to the sufferings with reference to Christ and the glories after these [things],

Therefore the honor [is] for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe, "The stone that the builders rejected, this one has become {the cornerstone},"

but the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable [quality] of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is highly valuable in the sight of God.

For the eyes of the Lord [are] on the righteous, and his ears [are open to] their prayer. But the face of the Lord [is] against those who do evil.

For "The one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and [his] lips must not speak deceit.

For this [finds] favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows [while] suffering unjustly.

who [when he] was reviled, did not revile in return; [when] suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted [himself] to the one who judges justly,

If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, [you are] blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

She [who is] in Babylon, chosen the same as [you], greets you, and [so does] my son Mark.

and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense," who stumble [because they] disobey the word to which also they were consigned.

For the time that has passed [was] sufficient {to do what the Gentiles desire to do}, having lived in licentiousness, [evil] desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries,

But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed,

[Live] as free [persons], and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God.

who once [were] not a people, but now [are] the people of God, the ones [who were] not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.

and not as lording it over {those under your care}, but being examples for the flock.

So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.