whom ye have not seen and yet love him, in whom even now, though ye see him not, yet ye believe, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious:

Of which salvation have the prophets enquired, and searched, which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you;

Unto which prophets it was declared, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they should minister the things which are now showed unto you, of them which, by the holy ghost sent down from heaven, have preached unto you the things which the angels desire to behold.

Which, by his means, have believed on God that raised him from death, and glorified him, that your faith and hope might be in God.

And forasmuch as ye have purified your souls through the spirit, in obeying the truth for to love brotherly without feigning, see that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently:

If so be that ye have tasted how pleasant the Lord is,

which in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God, which were not under mercy: but now have obtained mercy.

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.

having a good conscience, that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, forasmuch as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.

For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

But above all things, have fervent love among you. For love covereth the multitude of sins.

The God of all grace - which called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus - shall his own self, after ye have suffered a little affliction, make you perfect: shall settle, strengthen, and establish you.

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, have I written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.