chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace be multiplied.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who begot us again according to his abundant mercy for a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

men being kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials,

so that the proof of your faith, much more precious than gold that perishes, and though proven by fire, may be found for praise and esteem and for glory at the revealing of Jesus Christ.

Though you have never seen him, yet you love him; though you do not even now see him, yet you believe in him, and exalt with a triumphant happiness too great for words,

For so you have the true end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

About which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently. Men who prophesied about the grace for you,

searching for what, or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ in them indicated, predicting the sufferings in Christ, and the glories after these things.

It was made known to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in their searching for these things that have already been told to you by those who through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven brought you the good news. The angels long to take a peep into these things.

Therefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope entirely for the grace brought to you at the revealing of Jesus Christ.

but according to the Holy One, who called you [i.e., God], you people also should become holy [i.e., separated for God's service] in all your conduct,

because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.

And if you give the name of Father to him who, judging every man by his acts, has no respect for a man's position, then go in fear while you are on this earth:

For you well know that not with perishable things, with silver or gold, were you redeemed from the emptiness of your manner of life, received by tradition from your ancestors;

who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of times for your sake,

Men who, because of him, believe in God who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, in order for your faith and hope to be in God.

Men who have purified your souls in obedience of the truth through the Spirit for non-hypocritical brotherly love. Ye should love each other fervently from a pure heart,

For you have been born anew, not of perishable, but of imperishable seed, by the living, lasting word of God.

For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth:

But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.

So once for all get rid of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all sorts of slander,

as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;

If ye have tasted for yourselves that, gracious, is the Lord, -

For having been drawn to Him, a living Stone, indeed rejected by men, but elect, precious with God;

and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God.

For, as Scripture says. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him shall never be put to shame.

For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;

and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

In the past you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; then there was no mercy for you, but now mercy has been given to you.

My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul;

You should live such good lives before [unconverted] Gentiles, so that even though they accuse you of being evildoers, by seeing your good deeds, they will [be led to] honor God [for you] on the day He visits us again [i.e., to bring judgment].

Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well.

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 using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Have respect for all, loving the brothers, fearing God, honouring the king.

Servants, be submissive to your masters with perfect respect, not simply to those who are kind and reasonable but to the surly as well ??19 for it is a merit when from a sense of God one bears the pain of unjust suffering.

For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.

For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it , ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it , ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:

leaving an example for your exact imitation, he who never offended, and from whose lips no fallacy was ever utter'd,

He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree,
so that, having died to sins,
we might live for righteousness;
you have been healed by His wounds.

For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

when they see your modest and respectful behavior [together with your devotion and appreciation—love your husband, encourage him, and enjoy him as a blessing from God].

but the inner life with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit; for this is very precious in God's sight.

For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

thus, for example, Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are daughters of Sarah, if you do what is right, and permit nothing to make you afraid.

Likewise the husbands living together knowledgably, as with a weaker vessel, apportioning worth to the female as also joint-heirs of the grace of life, for your prayers not to be hindered.

Last of all, see that you are all in agreement; feeling for one another, loving one another like brothers, full of pity, without pride:

not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:

And let him be turned from evil and do good; searching for peace and going after it with all his heart.

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.

Yet who will harm you if you become zealous for the good?

But even if ye should suffer for righteousness'sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. And always be ready for a defense to every man who asks you a word about the hope in you, with mildness and fear.

May your conscience be able to so approve of your conduct that, even if you are ridiculed, those doing it will [eventually] have to be ashamed [of themselves] for criticizing your Christian behavior.

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

Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

These people had disobeyed [Noah's preaching, See II Pet. 2:5] back when God's patience waited [for them to repent, See Gen. 6:3], during the days of Noah, when the ship was being constructed. It was by that means [i.e., the ship floating them to safety through the Flood waters] that a few persons, eight of them, were saved [from destruction] through water.

Baptism, the counterpart of that, now saves you (not the washing off of the filth of the flesh, but the prayer for a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

who is at God's right hand ??for he went to heaven after angels, authorities, and powers celestial had been made subject to him.)

Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God.

For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:

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;

but they will have to give account for it to Him who is ready to judge living and dead.

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

But the end of all things has approached. Therefore be serious, and be sober for the prayers.

above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:

Keep open house for all with a glad heart;

As each has received a gift, serving it for yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

if any man speaketh,'speaking as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, ye should not be surprised at the fieriness in you, which occurs for a trial to you, like a strange thing happening to you.

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 ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye ; because the'spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.

For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters:

but if anyone suffers for being a Christian, he must not be ashamed of it, but should keep on praising God for bearing this name.

For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what'shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And if it is hard for even the good man to get salvation, what chance has the man without religion or the sinner?

For this reason let those who by the purpose of God undergo punishment, keep on in well-doing and put their souls into the safe hands of their Maker.

Now to you who are presbyters I make this appeal; for I am myself a presbyter, and was a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory about to be revealed.

Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

and not as domineering over those in your charge but proving yourselves models for the flock to imitate;

And when the Supreme Shepherd [i.e., Jesus] comes back, you will receive [for your effort] a glorious crown [of reward] that will never fade away [Note: The idea of "fading away" is suggested by the laurel wreath bestowed on the winner of an athletic contest].

Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

For this cause make yourselves low under the strong hand of God, so that when the time comes you may be lifted up;

casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

Resist him and be strong in the faith, for you know that your brotherhood all over the world is having the same experience of suffering.

And after you have undergone pain for a little time, the God of all grace who has given you a part in his eternal glory through Christ Jesus, will himself give you strength and support, and make you complete in every good thing;

To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!