according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

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;

who, through faith, are continuously guarded by the power of God for a salvation, ready to be revealed in the last days.

Through him you believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope are now in God.

For you have been born anew, not of perishable, but of imperishable seed, by the living, lasting word of God.

Come to him then, that living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious.

And yourselves like living stones be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Christ Jesus.

and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. They stumble over it because they are disobeying God's word, and to this they were also 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.

Let your manner of life before the Gentiles be honest; so that, although they are now slandering you as evil-doers, they may, by beholding your noble conduct, come to glorify God, in the day of visitation.

For it is the will of God that by well-doing you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

Live like free men; and yet do not make your freedom a cloak for misconduct, but be the slaves of God.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Reverence God. Honor the Emperor.

For it is an acceptable thing to God, if from a sense of duty to him, a man endures a wrong, even suffering unjustly.

For what credit is it if, when you are struck for a fault, you take it patiently? But if when you are doing well and suffer for it, you always take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

but rather that hidden personality of the heart, the imperishable ornament of a quiet and gentle spirit, which in the sight of God is indeed precious.

For in this way in the olden time the holy women also, who put their trust in God, used to adorn themselves. They were ever in submission to their own husbands;

Let him turn from evil and do good, Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

Yet who will harm you if you become zealous for the good?

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.

For it is better that you suffer for doing right, if such be God's will, than for doing wrong;

because Christ also once for all suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but make alive in spirit.

who in old times had been disobedient, when God's longsuffering was waiting in the days of Noah, while an ark was building, in which a few persons??ight in number??ere saved by water.)

Baptism, the counterpart of that, now saves you (not the washing off of the filth of the flesh, but the prayer for a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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

so that in future you may not spend your life in the flesh according to men's desires, but in the will of God.

The gospel was preached for this cause to those who were dead also, that they might be judged according to men in flesh, but live according to God in spirit.

Whatever the gifts which each has received, use them for one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

If any one preaches, let him always preach as one who utters God's truth; if any one serves another, let it be with the strength which God supplies; so that in every way God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the spirit of glory and of God is resting upon you.

But if any man is suffering as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him ever glorify God in this Name.

It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it first begin with us, what shall be the end of those who are disobedient to the gospel?

So let those who are suffering according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Be shepherds to your flock of God; take charge of them willingly, and not through compulsion; not for filthy lucre, but with a willing mind;

You younger men must submit to the presbyters; and all of you must put on the garment of humility and serve one another, for God resists the haughty, But gives grace to the humble.

So humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, so that he may exalt you in due time.

But the God of all grace, who has called us by Christ Jesus to share his eternal glory, will, after you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

By Sylvanus, a faithful brother of yours, as I suppose, I have written you briefly, to comfort you, and to testify that this is the true grace of God. In this stand fast.