given us the new Life of undying hope, that promises an inheritance, imperishable, stainless, unfading, which has been reserved for you in Heaven--

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,

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

Now that, by your obedience to the Truth, you have purified your lives, so that there is growing up among you a genuine brotherly affection, love one another earnestly with all your hearts;

since your new Life has come, not from perishable, but imperishable, seed, through the Message of the Everliving God.

For-- 'All earthly life is but as grass, And all its splendor as the flower of grass. The grass fades, Its flower falls,

Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evil-doers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God 'at the time when he shall visit them.'

Show honour to every one, Love the Brotherhood, 'revere God, honour the emperor.'

And he 'himself carried our sins' in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. 'His bruising was your healing.'

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

as Sarah did, who obeyed Abraham, and called him master. And you are her true children, as long as you live good lives, and let nothing terrify you.

Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of Life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.

Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of brotherly love, kind-hearted, humble-minded;

'He who would enjoy life And see happy days-- let him keep his tongue from evil And his lips from deceitful words,

For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all--the good on behalf of the bad--that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering upon new Life.

and so will live the rest of his earthly life guided, not by human passions, but by the will of God.

Surely in the past you have spent time enough living as the Gentiles delight to live. For your path has lain among scenes of debauchery, licentiousness, drunkenness, revelry, hard-drinking, and profane idolatry.

For that was why the Good News was told to the dead also--that, after they have been judged in the body, as men are judged, they might live in the spirit, as God lives.

Above all things, let your love for one another be earnest, for 'Love throws a veil over countless sins.'

I urge you to be true shepherds of the flock of God among you, not because you are compelled, but of your own free will; not from a base love of gain, but with a ready spirit;

I have been writing to you briefly by the hand of Silas, our true-hearted Brother (for so I regard him), to urge upon you, and to bear my testimony, that in what I have written is to be found the true love of God. On that take your stand.

Greet one another with the kiss of love. May God give his peace to you all in your union with Christ.