that the proving of your faith??eing much more precious than gold that perishes, but is proved through fire??ay be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

concerning which salvation the prophets earnestly sought and diligently searched, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you;

to whom it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering them; which things now were reported to you through those who proclaimed the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from Heaven; into which things angels desire to look carefully.

knowing that, not with perishable things, with silver or gold, were ye redeemed from your vain course of life handed down from your fathers;

who through Him believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God, that lives and abides.

as new-born babes, long ye for the spiritual, unadulterated milk, that thereby ye may grow unto salvation,

if ye tasted that the Lord is gracious;

But ye are "an elect race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation," a people for a possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

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

for so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;

For to this were ye called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps;

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by Whose bruise ye were healed.

In like manner, ye wives, be subject to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they may, without the word, be gained through the conduct of their wives,

Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with them according to knowledge, assigning honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.

not returning evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but, on the contrary, blessing; because to this end ye were called, that ye might inherit a blessing.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye become zealous for that which is good?

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts; ready always for an answer to every one who asks of you an account concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear;

having a good conscience; that, in whatever ye are spoken against, those who revile your good conduct may be put to shame.

For it is better, if the will of God should will it, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing;

because Christ also suffered for sins once, a Righteous One in behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,

who were once disobedient, when the long-suffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while an ark was being prepared, entering into which, a few, that is, eight, souls were saved through water;

that ye no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh to the desires of men, but to the will of God.

For to this end was the Gospel proclaimed even to the dead, that they might, indeed, be judged according to men in flesh, but live according to God in spirit.

if anyone speaks, as uttering the oracles of God; if anyone ministers, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to Whom is the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

but, in so far as ye share in Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of His glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.

If ye are reproached in Christ's name, happy are ye, because the Spirit of glory and that of God rests upon you.

Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due season;

whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.

Through Sylvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I wrote to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God; within which stand ye.