elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace to you, and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy, begat us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead,

who are being guarded by God's power, through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time;

who through Him believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God, that lives and abides.

And this is the word of the good news which was proclaimed to you.

to Whom coming, a Living Stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but with God Elect, Precious,

ye yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

who once were not a people, but are now God's people; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

having your conduct seemly among the gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, from your good works which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

for so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;

as free, and not holding your freedom as a cloak for wickedness, but as servants of God.

Honor all men; love the brotherhood; fear God; honor the king.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the perverse.

For this is acceptable, if, for conscience toward God, one endures griefs, suffering wrongfully.

For what glory is it, if, when sinning and being beaten, ye endure it? but, if, when doing well and suffering for it, ye endure it, this is acceptable with God.

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

For thus, in former times, the holy women also, who hoped in God, were wont to adorn themselves, submitting themselves to their own husbands;

as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom ye became children; if ye do good, and fear no alarm.

For, "He who wishes to love life, and to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile;

and let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it;

And who is he that will harm you, if ye become zealous for that which is good?

having a good conscience; that, in whatever ye are spoken against, those who revile your good conduct may be put to shame.

For it is better, if the will of God should will it, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing;

because Christ also suffered for sins once, a Righteous One in behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,

who were once disobedient, when the long-suffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while an ark was being prepared, entering into which, a few, that is, eight, souls were saved through water;

which, in its anti-type, immersion, now saves you also (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the requirement of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Who is on the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

that ye no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh to the desires of men, but to the will of God.

For to this end was the Gospel proclaimed even to the dead, that they might, indeed, be judged according to men in flesh, but live according to God in spirit.

according as each one received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;

if anyone speaks, as uttering the oracles of God; if anyone ministers, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to Whom is the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

If ye are reproached in Christ's name, happy are ye, because the Spirit of glory and that of God rests upon you.

but, if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.

Because it is the time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and, if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the Gospel of God?

Wherefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing to a Faithful Creator.

feed the flock of God which is among you, overseeing it, not by constraint, but willingly; nor yet for base gain, but of a ready mind;

Likewise, ye younger, be subject to the elder; yea, all of you gird on the lowly mind to serve one another; because "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the lowly."

Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due season;

And the God of all grace, Who called you into His everlasting glory in Christ, after ye have suffered a little while, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, settle you.

Through Sylvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I wrote to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God; within which stand ye.