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

because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy."

a stone they stumble over and a rock they trip on." They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because: The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps.

Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, keep blessing them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.

Therefore, since the Messiah suffered in a mortal body, you, too, must arm yourselves with the same determination, because the person who has suffered in a mortal body has stopped sinning,

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

Because everything will soon come to an end, be sensible and clear-headed, so you can pray.

Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Instead, because you are participating in the sufferings of the Messiah, keep on rejoicing, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.

If you are insulted because of the name of the Messiah, you are blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God is resting on you.

Be shepherds of God's flock that is among you, watching over it, not because you must but because you want to, and not greedily but eagerly, as God desires.

In a similar way, you young people must submit to the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility for the sake of each other, because: "God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble."

Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you.

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