Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! Because of his great mercy he has granted us a new birth, resulting in an immortal hope through the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, from the dead

Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who brought you the good news through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things that even the angels desire to look into.

For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life handed down to you by your ancestors,

Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.

but the word of the Lord lasts forever." Now this word is the good news that was announced to you.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

You were "like sheep that kept going astray," but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when God waited patiently while the ark was being built. In it a few, that is, eight persons, were saved by water.

Baptism, which is symbolized by that water, now saves you also, not by removing dirt from the body, but by asking God for a clear conscience based on the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah,

They insult you now because they are surprised that you are no longer joining them in the same excesses of wild living.

Resist him and be firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.