Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation,

and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend them which stumble at the word, and believe not that whereon they were set.

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

just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming.

having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Therefore, I strongly urge the elders among you [pastors, spiritual leaders of the church], as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory that is to be revealed:

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