From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing abroad (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithynia) who are chosen

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

At the thought of this you are full of exultation, though (if it has been necessary) you have suffered for the moment somewhat from various trials;

To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into.

but in your whole life show yourselves to be holy, after the pattern of the Holy One from whom you received your Call.

because it is written [Lev. 11:44f], "You shall be holy [i.e., separated from sin] even as I am holy."

knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers;

foreknown, indeed, from a founding of a world, but manifested in the end of the times for you,

who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:

because you have been born anew, not from a germ that perishes but from one that does not perish, by the word of the living and everlasting God.

For all forms of flesh are similar to grass, and all the splendor of [a person's] flesh is like the flower [which blossoms] from the grass. [But as with] grass, [a person's flesh] withers, and its flower [i.e., his splendor] falls off.

Free yourselves, therefore, from all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of any kind,

but you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people; that you should declare the perfections of him who has called you from darkness into his marvelous light:

Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul;

Having your behavior good among the Gentiles, so that, upon which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may glorify God in the day of visitation, from having observed your good works.

Be subjected to every creation proceeding from man on account of the Lord: whether to the king, as having superiority;

Servants, take orders from your masters with all respect; not only if they are good and gentle, but even if they are bad-humoured.

For it is an acceptable thing to God, if from a sense of duty to him, a man endures a wrong, even suffering unjustly.

from a principle of conscience. what glory is there in suffering corporal punishment for real offences? but if you meet with ill usage for doing your duty, and bear it with constancy,

For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps.

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

To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:

Who himself took up our sins in his body upon the tree, so that we, having died to sins, might live to the righteousness of him from whose wound ye were healed.

In the same way you wives must be submissive to your own husbands; so that if some of them will not believe the message, they may apart from the message be won over by the behavior of their wives,

They were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah, for example, obeyed Abraham and called him master. You have become true daughters of hers, if you practice doing right and cease from every fear.

And you husbands, give thought to your way of life with your wives, giving honour to the woman who is the feebler vessel, but who has an equal part in the heritage of the grace of life; so that you may not be kept from prayer.

and never return evil for evil or insult for insult [avoid scolding, berating, and any kind of abuse], but on the contrary, give a blessing [pray for one another’s well-being, contentment, and protection]; for you have been called for this very purpose, that you might inherit a blessing [from God that brings well-being, happiness, and protection].

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

but in your hearts consecrate Christ as Lord, being always ready to make your defence to any one who asks from you a reason for the hope which you cherish.

Yet argue modestly and cautiously, keeping your consciences free from guilt, so that, when you are spoken against, those who slander your good Christian lives may be put to shame.

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.

And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, not by washing clean the flesh, but by making you free from the sense of sin before God, through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead;

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;

(for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) That ye may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh, to the desire of men, but to the will of God.

for to this end was the gospel preach'd to those, who are now dead, that after having suffer'd the loss of this frail life from men, they might enjoy an immortal life with God.

Above everything else, have a warm love for one another, for such a love keeps many sins from occurring [between you].

As each of you has received a gift [from God], you should make use of it [in the body], so that you will be [good] caretakers of the many unearned ways that God favors you.

If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Blessed are ye if ye are reviled for the name of Christ, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. From them he is indeed blasphemed, but from you he is glorified.

Because the time to begin judgment is from the house of God, and if first from us, what is the end of those who disobey the good-news of God?

I appeal therefore to those who are elders among you; I am their brother-elder and a witness to what the Christ suffered, and I am to share in the glory that is to be revealed??2 be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though it were forced upon you but of your own free will, and not from base love of gain but freely,

be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely,

Likewise, you younger men [of lesser rank and experience], be subject to your elders [seek their counsel]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.

God, from whom all help comes, and who called you, by your union with Christ, into his eternal glory, will, when you have suffered for a little while, himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.

To. him be glory and dominion from age to age. Amen.

Greet one another with a kiss of love.To all of you who are in Christ, may there be peace.