according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and [for] sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,

who through him [are] believing in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

[because you] have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen [and] precious in the sight of God.

And [you] yourselves, as living stones, are being built up [as] a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

But you [are] a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

who once [were] not a people, but now [are] the people of God, the ones [who were] not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.

maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in [the things] in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation.

or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good.

For the will of God is as follows: [by] doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

[Live] as free [persons], and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God.

Honor all [people], love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those [who are] good and gentle, but also to those [who are] unjust.

For this [finds] favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows [while] suffering unjustly.

For what credit [is it] if, [when you] sin and are beaten [for it], you endure? But if you endure [when you] do good and suffer [for it], this [finds] favor with God.

but the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable [quality] of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is highly valuable in the sight of God.

For in the [same] way formerly the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves [by] being subject to their own husbands,

like Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you have become [when you] do good and are not frightened with respect to any terror.

For "The one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and [his] lips must not speak deceit.

And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

And who [is] the one who will harm you if you are a zealous adherent for what is good?

But [do so] with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in [the things] in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

For [it is] better to suffer for doing good, {if God wills it}, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he could bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

who were formerly disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, [while] an ark was being constructed, in which a few--that is, eight souls--were rescued through water.

And also, corresponding to [this], baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.

in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.

Because for this reason also the gospel was preached to those who are dead, so that they were judged {by human standards} in the flesh, but they may live in the spirit {by God's standards}.

Just as each one has received a gift, [use] it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

If anyone speaks, [let it be] as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, [let it be] as by the strength that God provides, so that in all [things] God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power {forever and ever}. Amen.

If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, [you are] blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

But if [someone suffers] as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name.

For [it is] the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if [it begins] out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God?

So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all [of you] clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the [right] time,

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, [after you] have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, [and] establish [you].

Through Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I consider [him]), I have written to you {briefly} to encourage [you] and to attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.