Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the foreign-born Jews who are scattered over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

who are always guarded by the power of God through faith, in order that you may receive that final salvation which will be ready to be uncovered for you at the last time.

and: "A stone for them to stumble over and a rock to trip them up." They keep on stumbling over the message, because they are disobedient to it, and this is their appointed doom.

But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once His mercy had not been shown you, but now it has.

Dearly beloved, I beg you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the evil desires of your lower nature, because they are always at war with the soul.

You house-servants must be submissive to your masters and show them perfect respect, not only to those who are kind and fair but also to those who are cruel.

For what credit is it to bear it patiently, if you do wrong and are beaten for it? But if you do right and patiently suffer for it, it is pleasing in the sight of God.

when they see how chaste and respectful you are.

Because the eyes of the Lord are on upright men, and His ears listen to their pleading cries, but His face is against them that do wrong."

And who is it that will harm you if you are enthusiastic to do right?

Instead, you are happy, even if you should suffer for doing right. Never be afraid of their threats, and never be disturbed,

For the time that is past is enough for you to have accomplished what the heathen like to do, leading lives that are steeped in sensuality, lustful desires, drunkenness, carousing, revelry, dissipation, and idolatry that leads to lawlessness,

They are astonished that you are not still rushing hand in hand with them into the same excesses of profligate living, and they abuse you for it;

This is why the good news was preached to the dead too, that they may be judged in their physical nature as men are, but live in the Spirit as God does.

but so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that at the uncovering of His glory you may rejoice triumphantly.

If you are suffering abuse because you bear the name of Christ, you are happy, because the glorious Spirit of God is resting upon you.

Because the time has come for judgment to begin at the household of God, and if it begins with us, what will the end be of those who are rejecting God's good news?

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in union with Christ.