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 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."

He never committed a sin, and deceit was never found on His lips.

He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to uprightness. By His wounds you have been healed,

So then, since Christ has suffered in our physical form, you too must arm yourselves with the same determination. For whoever suffers in his physical form has done with sin,

Your sister-church in Babylon, chosen along with you, and Mark my son, wish to be remembered to you.