And be always ready to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear:

But ye are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a purchased people, that ye may shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Who in time past were not a people, but now are the people of God;

If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

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

Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

for your adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a living hope, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead,

For thus the holy women also of old time who trusted in God, adorned themselves,

Watch: be vigilant:

As every one hath received a gift, so minister it one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect (according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father) thro' sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Seeing ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation delivered by tradition from your fathers,

In like manner, ye wives, be subject to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may, without the word, be won by the conversation of the wives,

For even hereunto are ye called; for Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye might follow his steps:

The elders that are among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and likewise a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed,

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be watchful and hope perfectly for the grace that is brought you by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

speaking evil of you, Who shall give account to him that is ready judge the living and the dead.

Of which salvation the prophets enquired and searched diligently,

The antitype whereof, baptism, now saveth us, (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

and all evil-speakings, As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

To whom coming as unto a living stone, rejected indeed by men,

but chosen of God and precious, Ye also as living stones are built up, a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ.

In like manner, ye husbands, dwell according to knowledge with the woman, as the weaker vessel; giving them honour, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the sojourners scattered thro' Pontus,

Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly desires,

Beloved, wonder not at the burning which is among you, which is for your trial, as if some strange thing befell you: But as ye partake of the sufferings of Christ,

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, Or to governors,

In like manner, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder, and be ye all subject to each other. Be ye cloathed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Having purified your souls by obeying the truth thro' the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Finally, Be ye all of one mind, sympathizing with each other, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

For to this end was the gospel preached to them that are dead also, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit.

But as he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation:

being subject to their own husbands, As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children ye are while ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, tho' now for a little while (if need be) ye are in heaviness thro' manifold temptations.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Who thro' him believe in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope, might be in God.

Who are kept by the power of God thro' faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

Wherefore laying aside all wickedness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and envies,

And above all things, have fervent love to each other; for love will cover a multitude of sins.

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:

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

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

Seeing then Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind:

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

Feed the flock of God which is among you, overseeing it not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy gain, but of a ready mind,

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God: if any man minister, let him minister as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified thro' Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the might for ever and ever. Amen.

who prophesied of the grace of God toward you.

For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: but if it begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom tho' ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of curling the hair, and of wearing gold, or of putting on apparel, But the hidden man of the heart,

which war against the soul, Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Let him turn from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

Now the God of all grace, who hath called us by Christ Jesus to his eternal glory, after ye have suffered a while, himself shall perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Honour the king, Servants be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

That the trial of your faith, which is much more precious than gold, (that perisheth, tho' it be tried with fire) may be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Who some time disbelieved, when the long-suffering of God waited in the Days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight persons were saved through the water:

Whom resist, stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,

Who verily was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you,

As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to your former desires, in your ignorance;

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which is preached to you by the gospel.

To him be the glory and the might for ever and ever. Amen.

rejoice, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may likewise rejoice with exceeding great joy.

For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free,

Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

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

as sent by him, for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother, as I suppose, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and adding my testimony, that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand,

Salute ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.

Beholding your chaste conversation joined with fear:

For what glory is it, if when ye commit faults and are buffeted, ye take it patiently? But if when ye do well and suffer, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other mens matters,

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

(for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) That ye may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh, to the desire of men, but to the will of God.

Wherein they think it strange, that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot,

but raised to life by the spirit, By which likewise he went and preached to the spirits in prison,

Honour all men, Love the brotherhood, Fear God,

To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

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

Who being gone into heaven, is on the right-hand of God, angels, and authorities, and powers being subjected to him.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

To whom it was revealed, that not for themselves, but for us they ministered the things which have been now declared to you by them that have preached the gospel to you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven: which things angels desire to look into.

And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: The grass is withered, and the flower thereof is fallen off;

Yet if any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are called to this, to inherit a blessing.

Searching what, and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified, when he testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow.

Therefore to you who believe, he is precious: but to them who believe not, The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.

in the incorruptible ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.

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

For he that loveth life and desireth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak no guile:

For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

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

The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and Mark my son.

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, to them who stumble, not believing the word, whereunto also they were appointed.

For the time past of your life sufficeth to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when ye walked in lasciviousness, evil desires, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.

But even if ye do suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be ye troubled, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:

yet not having your liberty for a cloak of wickedness, but as the servants of God.

who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Neither as lording over the heritage, but being examples to the flock.

Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.