but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and fear:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, that ye should show the virtues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

If so be that ye have tasted how pleasant the Lord is,

Forasmuch as Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, for to bring us to God, and was killed, as pertaining to the flesh: but was quickened in the spirit.

which his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we should be delivered from sin and should live in righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed.

Be sober, and watch. For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Blessed be God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which through his abundant mercy begat us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death,

For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves, and were obedient to their husbands,

Cast all your care to him: for he careth for you.

As every man hath received the gift, minister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold grace of God.

Elect by the foreknowledge of God the father, through the sanctifying of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace be with you, and peace be multiplied.

Forasmuch as ye know how that ye were not redeemed with corruptible gold and silver from your vain conversation, which ye received by the traditions of the fathers,

Likewise, let the wives be in subjection to their husbands, that even they which believe not the word, may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives:

For hereunto verily were ye called, for Christ also suffered for us: leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps,

The elders which are among you I exhort, which am also an elder and a witness of the afflictions of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be opened:

for ye are born anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal seed, by the word of God which liveth, and lasteth forever.

Wherefore, gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you by the declaring of Jesus Christ;

which shall give accounts to him that is ready to judge quick and dead.

receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

which signifieth baptism that now saveth us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but in that a good conscience consenteth to God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

and as newborn babes desire that reasonable milk which is without corruption, that ye may be grown therein.

to whom ye come as unto a living stone, disallowed of men, but chosen of God and precious:

and ye, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Likewise, ye men, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as unto them that are heirs also of the grace of life, that your prayers be not let.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that dwell here and there as strangers throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia;

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers, and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul,

Dearly beloved, be not troubled in this heat, which now is come among you to try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you:

Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head;

Likewise, ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder. Submit yourselves every man, one to another. Knit yourselves together in lowliness of mind. For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.

And forasmuch as ye have purified your souls through the spirit, in obeying the truth for to love brotherly without feigning, see that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently:

In conclusion, be ye all of one mind, one suffer with another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous,

For unto this purpose, verily, was the gospel preached unto the dead; that they should be condemned of men in the flesh, but should live before God in the spirit.

But as he which called you is holy, even so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,

even as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him "Lord" - whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, not being afraid of every shadow.

in the which time ye shall rejoice, though now for a season - if need require - ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations,

Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you, when the time is come.

Which, by his means, have believed on God that raised him from death, and glorified him, that your faith and hope might be in God.

which are kept by the power of God through salvation, which salvation is prepared already to be showed in the last time,

Wherefore, lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and envy, and all backbiting:

But above all things, have fervent love among you. For love covereth the multitude of sins.

And if so be that ye call on the father, which without respect of person judgeth according to every man's works, see that ye pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear:

The end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore discreet, and sober, that ye may be apt to prayers.

because it is written, "Be ye holy, for I am holy."

Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he which suffereth in the flesh ceaseth from sin,

which did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth:

see that ye feed Christ's flock, which is among you, taking the oversight of them: not as though ye were compelled thereto, but willingly; Not for the desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind.

If any man speak, let him talk as though he spake the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God ministereth unto him. That God, in all things, may be glorified through Jesus Christ: to whom be praise and dominion forever and while the world standeth. Amen.

Of which salvation have the prophets enquired, and searched, which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you;

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them which believe not the gospel of God?

whom ye have not seen and yet love him, in whom even now, though ye see him not, yet ye believe, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious:

Whose apparel shall not be outward with broided hair, and hanging on of gold, other in putting on of gorgeous apparel:

and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.

Let him eschew evil and do good: let him seek peace, and ensue it.

The God of all grace - which called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus - shall his own self, after ye have suffered a little affliction, make you perfect: shall settle, strengthen, and establish you.

Servants obey your masters with all fear, not only if they be good and courteous: but also though they be froward.

that your faith, once tried, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto laud, glory, and honour, at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

which were in time past disobedient, when the long suffering of God abode exceeding patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few - that is to say eight souls - were saved by water,

whom resist, steadfast in the faith, remembering that ye do but fulfill the same afflictions which are appointed to your brethren that are in the world.

but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled, and without spot,

which was ordained before the world was made: but was declared in the last times for your sakes.

as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves unto your old lusts of ignorance:

but the word of the Lord endureth ever. And this is the word which by the gospel was preached among you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever, and while the world endureth. Amen.

but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's passions, that when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry and glad.

For so is the will of God, that ye put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men:

having a good conscience, that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, forasmuch as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.

It is better - if the will of God be so - that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

other unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers: but for the laud of them that well do.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, have I written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.

Greet ye one another with the kiss of love. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Jesus. Amen. {Here ends the First General Epistle of Peter}

while they behold your pure conversation coupled with fear.

For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, then is there thanks with God.

See that none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

And if the righteous scarcely be saved: where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

that he henceforward should live as much time as remaineth in the flesh, not after the lusts of men: but after the will of God.

And it seemeth to them a strange thing that ye run not also with them unto the same excess of riot, and therefore speak they evil of you,

In which spirit, he also went and preached unto the spirits that were in prison,

See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King.

to enjoy an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, and that perisheth not; reserved in heaven for you

Wherefore it is contained in the scripture, "Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

For ye were as sheep going astray: but are now returned unto the shepherd, and bishop of your souls.

which is our righthand of God, and is gone into heaven: angels, power, and might subdued unto him.

Moreover, who is it that will harm you if ye follow that which is good?

Unto which prophets it was declared, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they should minister the things which are now showed unto you, of them which, by the holy ghost sent down from heaven, have preached unto you the things which the angels desire to behold.

And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.

Be ye harborous, one to another, and that without grudging.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass; the grass is withered, and the flower falleth away,

If any man suffer as a Christian man, let him not be ashamed: but let him glorify God on his behalf.

not rendering evil for evil, neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise, bless: remembering that ye are thereunto called, even that ye should be heirs of blessing.

searching when, or at what time, the spirit of Christ which was in them should signify - which spirit testified before - the passions that should come unto Christ, and the glory that should follow after.

Unto you therefore which believe is he precious: but unto them which believe not, the stone which the builders refused, the same is made the headstone in the corner

but let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and a quiet spirit, which spirit is, before God, a thing much set by.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord beholdeth them that do evil.

If any man long after life, and loveth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak not guile:

For it is thankworthy if a man, for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

which when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously,

If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ; happy are ye. For the spirit of glory and the spirit of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of: but on your part he is glorified.

The companions of your election that are of Babylon, saluteth you, and Mark my son.

and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend them which stumble at the word, and believe not that whereon they were set.

For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

Notwithstanding, happy are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake. Yea, and fear not though they seem terrible unto you, neither be troubled:

as free, and not as having the liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: but even as the servants of God.

which in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God, which were not under mercy: but now have obtained mercy.

Not as though ye were lords over the parishes: but that ye be an example to the flock.

Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to him with well doing, as unto a faithful creator.