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,

It was made known to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in their searching for these things that have already been told to you by those who through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven brought you the good news. The angels long to take a peep into these things.

but in accordance with the Holy Being who has called you, you must prove to be holy too,

but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without a blemish or a blot,

who was foreordained for it before the foundation of the world but was brought out to public view at the end of the ages, for the sake of you

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.

But the word of the Lord lives on forever"; that is, the message of the good news which has been brought to you.

Keep on coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious in His sight,

It must be so, because the Scriptures say: "Here now I lay in Zion a chosen stone, a costly cornerstone, And not a single one who puts his trust in Him will ever be put to shame."

So to you who put your trust in Him the honor belongs, but to those who fail to trust Him: "That stone which then the builders threw away Has now become the cornerstone,"

But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once His mercy had not been shown you, but now it has.

Live like free men, only do not make your freedom a pretext for doing evil, but live like slaves of God.

You house-servants must be submissive to your masters and show them perfect respect, not only to those who are kind and fair but also to those who are cruel.

For what credit is it to bear it patiently, if you do wrong and are beaten for it? But if you do right and patiently suffer for it, it is pleasing in the sight of God.

Although He was abused, He never retorted; although He continued to suffer, He never threatened, but committed His case to Him who judges justly.

for once you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of Your souls.

but they must be of an internal nature, the character concealed in the heart, in the imperishable quality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God.

never returning evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but blessing instead, because it was for this that you were called, to obtain the blessing of heirs.

Because the eyes of the Lord are on upright men, and His ears listen to their pleading cries, but His face is against them that do wrong."

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,

For Christ Himself, once for all, died for our sins, the Innocent for the guilty to bring us to God, being put to death in physical form but made alive in the Spirit,

Baptism, which corresponds to this figure, now saves you, too -- I do not mean the mere removal of physical stains, but the craving for a clear conscience toward God -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

so that he no longer can spend the rest of his earthly life in harmony with human desires but in accordance with God's will.

but they will have to give account for it to Him who is ready to judge living and dead.

This is why the good news was preached to the dead too, that they may be judged in their physical nature as men are, but live in the Spirit as God does.

But the end of everything on earth is near. So be serious and sober minded, that you may give yourselves to prayer.

but so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that at the uncovering of His glory you may rejoice triumphantly.

but if anyone suffers for being a Christian, he must not be ashamed of it, but should keep on praising God for bearing this name.

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,

and not as domineering over those in your charge but proving yourselves models for the flock to imitate;

You younger men, on your part, must be submissive to the elders. And you must all put on the servant's apron of humility to one another, because God opposes the haughty but bestows His unmerited favor on the humble.