Who, through the purpose of God, have been made holy by the Spirit, disciples of Jesus, made clean by his blood: May you have grace and peace in full measure.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose great mercy we have been born anew into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

Through Him we have an inheritance that cannot be corrupted or contaminated, and will never disappear; it is reserved in heaven for you.

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

You must continue to love Him, although you have never seen Him, but because you do believe in Him, although you do not now see Him, you must continue to rejoice with an unutterable and triumphant joy,

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

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

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.

Therefore, {when you have prepared your minds for action} [by] being self-controlled, put your hope completely in the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If you call "Father" the one who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.

because you know that you have not been ransomed with things that perish as silver or gold, from the futile way of living taught by your fathers,

Who through him have faith in God who took him up again from the dead into 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.

Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all back-biting,

which is without any mixture, and will make you thrive. Since you have tasted how good the Lord is,

if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

come to him then ??come to that living Stone which men have rejected and God holds choice and precious,

For it says in the Scripture [Isa. 28:16], "Look, I am placing a stone in [the city of] Zion [i.e., Jerusalem]. It is a specially selected, very valuable cornerstone. And the person who trusts in the Him [i.e., the One represented by this stone] will never have to suffer shame [i.e., because of unforgiven sin being brought up against him]."

And the value is for you who have faith; but it is said for those without faith, The very stone which the builders put on one side, was made the chief stone of the building;

And a stone to strike against, and a rock to stumble over: Who stumble because, unto the word, they do not yield, - unto which also they have been appointed;

But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people, that you may show forth the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light??10 you who once were not a people, but now are the people of God; who were once without mercy, but now you have found mercy.

who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

but at present have obtain'd it. I exhort you, my dear brethren, as strangers and travellers to avoid all sensual passions, as destructive to your

and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.

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

For God approves a man if from a sense of duty he endures suffering unjustly inflicted??20 for what credit is there in your enduring being beaten for doing wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing what is right, you have God's approval.

What credit is it if, when you have done evil, you take your punishment quietly? but if you are given punishment for doing right, and take it quietly, this is pleasing to God.

For, hereunto, have ye been called; because, Christ also, suffered in your behalf, unto you, leaving behind a pattern, that ye might follow in his steps:

He bore our sins in his own body upon the tree, in order that we might become dead to sins, and be alive unto righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way; but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.

In the same way [that Jesus was submissive], you wives should submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even though they may not obey the [Gospel] message [they have heard] they may, without your talking [to them about it],

For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands;

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.

[You] husbands, in the same way, should live with your wives in an understanding way, recognizing their feminine nature as being physically weaker than yours, and showing special honor to them because of it. [Realize] that sharing your lives together is a gracious gift [from God]. [If you have the right relationship with them] it will help avoid problems in your prayer lives.

Finally, be, all of one mind, have fellow feeling, love as brethren, be compassionate, be humble;

not paying back evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but on the contrary giving a blessing. Because for this you have been called??o inherit a blessing.

For [Psalm 39:12 says], "The person who loves [his] life and wants to have happy days, should avoid saying anything bad or deceptive.

And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which is good?

But you are happy if you undergo pain because of righteousness; have no part in their fear and do not be troubled;

but in your hearts be consecrated to Christ as Lord, and always be ready to make your defense to anyone who asks a reason for the hope you have. But you must do it in gentleness and reverence,

See that you have a clear conscience, so that, although they speak of you as evil-doers, these libelers of your good Christian lives may be ashamed.

He is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; to Him angels and authorities and powers have been made subject.

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:

Now, those people you used to run around with cannot understand why you have stopped living such wasteful lives, so they just "badmouth" you.

But they will have to give an account of themselves to him who is ready to be the judge of the living and the dead.

This is the purpose that the Gospel was preached to those who have died physically [for the faith]: It was so that, even though they had been judged physically [i.e., by suffering death at the hands of men], they could still live spiritually in the presence of God.

Above everything have fervent love to one another; for love veils a multitude of sins.

Extend hospitality to one another without complaining [that you have to].

As all of you have received your spiritual talents, you must keep on using them in serving one another, as good trustees of God's many-sided favor.

If anyone has anything to say, let it be as the words of God; if anyone has the desire to be the servant of others, let him do it in the strength which is given by God; so that in all things God may have the glory through Jesus Christ, whose are the glory and the power for ever.

But be glad that you are given a part in the pains of Christ; so that at the revelation of his glory you may have great joy.

If you are spoken against for being Christians, you have God's blessing, because His glorious Holy Spirit rests upon you [to provide comfort, See John 14:16].

[However], you should not have to suffer for murdering, stealing, doing evil or interfering in the affairs of others.

But if a person should have to suffer because he is a Christian, he should not be ashamed [of it], but instead, he should bring honor to God by [wearing] the name [of Christ].

For the time for judgment to have begun from the house of God: and if first from us, what the end of them not believing the good tidings of God?

Elders, therefore, among you, I exhort - I who am their co-elder and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, who also, in the glory about to be revealed, have, a share; -

Cast every worry you have upon Him, because He cares for you.

And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.

May God have total authority over everything [including your circumstances] forever. May it be so.

By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him , I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand ye fast therein.

Your sister [church] here in Babylon, [also] chosen [by God], as you have been, sends her greetings along with my [spiritual] son Mark.