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

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should declare the glories of Him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

for ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious;

As Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust (that He might introduce us to God) being indeed put to death in the flesh, but raised to life by the Spirit:

Who Himself bare our sins in his own body on the cross, that we being dead to sins, might live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed.

Be sober, be vigilant; for your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

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

For so also formerly the holy women, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being submissive to their husbands; as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him her lord:

casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.

as every one hath received a gift, imparting it to each other, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Asia, and Bithynia, chosen according to the fore-knowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and to the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,---may grace and peace be multiplied unto you.

knowing that ye were redeemed from your vain conversation learned by tradition from your fathers, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold;

Ye women likewise, be subject to your own husbands, that if any believe not the word, they may yet without the word be gained over by the deportment of the wives,

For unto this are ye called; because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye might follow his steps.

The elders that are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed; feed the flock of God that is among you,

being regenerated not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.

Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober, and stedfastly hope for the grace to be conferred upon you at the appearing of Jesus Christ;

who shall give an account to Him, who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

even the salvation of your souls:

The resemblance of which, even baptism, doth also now save us, (not the outward cleansing of filth from the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

and envies, and all evil-speakings, as new-born babes desire that rational milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby:

to whom coming as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen of God,

and precious, ye also are built up as living stones, a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Ye husbands likewise, dwell with them according to knowledge, yielding due respect to the wife as the weaker vessel, and as joint-heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers who are dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,

Dearly beloved, I exhort you as strangers and sojourners here, to abstain from carnal lusts, which war against the soul:

Beloved, be not surprised at the fiery trial coming upon you, which is to try you, as if some strange thing befel you:

Be subject therefore to every human form of government, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to a king as supreme;

Likewise ye younger, be subject to the elder; and all of you behaving with due submission one to another, be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, but sheweth favor to the humble.

Having therefore purified your souls by obedience to the truth, through the Spirit, to brotherly love unfeigned, love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Finally, my beloved, be unanimous, be sympathizing, love as brethren, be compassionate, be courteous:

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

but as He who hath called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conversation: since it is written,

whose daughters ye are, if ye do well, and are not terrified with any sinful fear.

In which ye rejoice, tho' now for a little while, if need be, ye are grieved through various trials.

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

who through Him trust in God that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory, that your faith and hope might be fixed in God.

who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Therefore laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisies,

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

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

But the end of all things draws nigh: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer:

Be ye holy, for I am holy.

Seeing therefore Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same thought, that he, who hath mortified the flesh, hath ceased from sin;

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

taking the episcopal charge of it, not by constraint, but willingly; not for shameful lucre, but with a ready mind:

If any one speak, let it be as declaring the oracles of God: if any one minister, let it be as from the power which God affordeth him: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

concerning which salvation the prophets, who prophesied of the grace to be conferred on you, enquired and diligently sought after it:

For the time is coming when judgement is to begin at the house of God: and if at us first, what will be the end of those that obey not the gospel of God?

whom having not seen ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy ineffable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith,

Whose adorning, let it not be that without, of plaiting the hair, and putting on of gold, or wearing fine clothes;

having a good conversation among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may glorify God in the day of their visitation, on account of the good works which they behold in you.

let him turn away from evil, and do good:

But may the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a little while, make you perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Ye who are servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and mild, but also to the morose:

That the proof of your faith, which is much more precious than of gold, (that perisheth, though tried by fire) may be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be revealed:

who of old were disobedient, when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing; wherein a few, that is eight souls, were saved by water.

whom resist, stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are endured by your brethren in the world.

but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

who was indeed appointed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times, for your sakes,

as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance:

but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word which is preached to you in the gospel.

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

but rejoice in that ye are partakers in the sufferings of Christ; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may also rejoice with exceeding joy.

For so is the will of God, that by your good behaviour ye may silence the ignorance of foolish men:

having a good conscience, that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ.

For it is better (if it be the will of God) to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

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

Thus I have written briefly by Silvanus, a faithful brother to you (as I judge) exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

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

beholding your chaste conversation in the fear of God.

For what glory is it, if when ye sin and are punished for it, ye bear it patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye bear it patiently, this will gain favor with God.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as a malefactor, or as an intermeddler with other people's affairs.

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

that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh according to the lusts of men, but after the will of God.

in which they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, and therefore speak evil of you:

by which also He went and preached to the spirits now in prison;

Give due honor to all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

Whence also it is said in scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, choice and precious: and he that confideth on it shall not be ashamed.

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now turned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

who is gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him.

And who will hurt you, if ye be imitators of Him that is good?

to whom it was revealed, that it was not to themselves, but to us they ministered these things, which are now declared unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, through the holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

And when the sovereign Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an unfading crown of glory.

Be hospitable one to another, without grudging;

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

But if any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God herein.

not returning evil for evil, or reproach for reproach: but on the contrary blessing even those that curse you: knowing ye are called unto this, that ye may obtain a blessing.

searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did declare in testifying beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ, and the glories following them:

To you therefore who believe it is precious: but to them that are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner,

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

let him seek peace, and pursue it: for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."

"For he that would desire life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile;

for this is an evidence of grace, if any one for conscience towards God endure griefs, suffering unjustly.

who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: and though as to them He is blasphemed, yet as to you He is glorified.

The church in Babylon, chosen together with you saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son.

and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. These stumble at the word through unbelief, unto which also they were appointed.

For the time past of our life is sufficient for us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness, inordinate desires, excess of wine, revellings, drunkenness, and abominable idolatries:

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

as free, and yet not using your liberty as a cloke for wickedness, but as the servants of God.

who heretofore were not a people, but are now the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

nor as lording it over the people, but being examples to the flock.

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