Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that dwell here and there as strangers throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia;

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].

unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

who are always guarded by the power of God through faith, in order that you may receive that final salvation which will be ready to be uncovered for you at the last time.

This it is that fills you with joy, notwithstanding the various tryals, which still necessarily afflict you,

that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that'should come unto you:

searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.

To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into.

Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

[Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation].

But, according as he that hath called you is holy, do, ye yourselves, also become, holy in all manner of behaviour, -

And if so be that ye call on the father, which without respect of person judgeth according to every man's works, see that ye pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear:

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

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

For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake

who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Now that by obedience to the truth you have purified your lives for a brotherly love without hypocrisy, you must love one another from your hearts, fervently.

begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God that lives and remains into the age.

but the word of Lord endures into the age. And this is the word, the good-news that was preached to you.

Renouncing therefore every kind of malice, and knavery, hypocrisy, envy, and detraction, as new-born infants desire that mystical milk,

as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;

if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

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

and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God.

Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;

and,“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they disobey the word [of God], and to this they [who reject Him as Savior] were also appointed.

But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

I beseech you, beloved, as pilgrims and exiles, to abstain from passions of the flesh that war upon your souls.

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

Submit yourselves unto every human creation, for the Lord's sake, - whether unto a king, as one that protecteth,

or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well.

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

See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King.

You that are servants, be subject to your masters with all reverence: not only to such as are kind and gentle,

After all, what kind of credit is there if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you endure it patiently? But if when you do what is right and patiently bear [undeserved] suffering, this finds favor with God.

For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:

who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

You were "like sheep that kept going astray," but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your won husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;

when they see your modest and respectful behavior [together with your devotion and appreciation—love your husband, encourage him, and enjoy him as a blessing from God].

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

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 former times the holy women, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands and adapting themselves to them;

just as Sarah obeyed Abraham [following him and having regard for him as head of their house], calling him lord. And you have become her daughters if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear [that is, being respectful toward your husband but not giving in to intimidation, nor allowing yourself to be led into sin, nor to be harmed].

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

Last of all, see that you are all in agreement; feeling for one another, loving one another like brothers, full of pity, without pride:

not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?

Even supposing you have to suffer for the sake of what is right, still you are blessed. Have no fear of their threats, do not let that trouble you,

but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:

having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.

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

Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

(It was in spirit that he went and preached the Word to the spirits who were in prison,

that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through 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.

Now that He has gone into heaven, He is at God’s right hand with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.

Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

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

For the time that is past is enough for you to have accomplished what the heathen like to do, leading lives that are steeped in sensuality, lustful desires, drunkenness, carousing, revelry, dissipation, and idolatry that leads to lawlessness,

wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of of :

who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.

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

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

Be ye harborous, one to another, and that without grudging.

As each of you has received a gift [from God], you should make use of it [in the body], so that you will be [good] caretakers of the many unearned ways that God favors you.

if any man speaketh,'speaking as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Do not think it strange, beloved, that a fiery ordeal has come to test you, as though some surprising thing had befallen you.

but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.

You are to be envied, if you are being reproached for bearing the name of Christ; for in that case the Spirit of glory-- even the Spirit of God--is resting upon you.

See that none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

But if he undergoes punishment as a Christian, that is no shame to him; let him give glory to God in this name.

For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what'shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?

Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.

The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

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,

Not as though ye were lords over the parishes: but that ye be an example to the flock.

And when the chief Shepherd shall be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Likewise, you younger men [of lesser rank and experience], be subject to your elders [seek their counsel]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.

And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.

By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him , I have written unto you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand ye fast therein.

She that is in Babylon, elect together with you , saluteth you; and'so doth Mark my son.

Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be unto you all that are in Christ.