that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire, be found to praise and glory and honour in the revelation of Jesus Christ:

To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves but to you they ministered those things, which have now been announced to you by those who have declared to you the glad tidings by the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, which angels desire to look into.

knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible things, as silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from your fathers,

who by him do believe on God, who has raised him from among the dead and given him glory, that your faith and hope should be in God.

as newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation,

if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is good.

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

But ye are a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light;

having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that as to that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through your good works, themselves witnessing them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

or to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well.

Because so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men;

For to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps:

who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed.

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without the word by the conversation of the wives,

whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel;

Ye husbands likewise, dwell with them according to knowledge, as with a weaker, even the female, vessel, giving them honour, as also fellow-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing others, because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing.

For he that will love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile.

because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears towards their supplications; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which is good?

but sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts, and be always prepared to give an answer to every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear;

having a good conscience, that as to that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ.

for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,

heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:

Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, do ye also arm yourselves with the same mind; for he that has suffered in the flesh has done with sin,

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same sink of corruption, speaking injuriously of you;

For to this end were the glad tidings preached to the dead also, that they might be judged, as regards men, after the flesh, but live, as regards God, after the Spirit.

If any one speak as oracles of God; if any one minister as of strength which God supplies; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the might for the ages of ages. Amen.

but as ye have share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that in the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exultation.

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

Whom resist, stedfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which is in the world.

By Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I suppose, I have written to you briefly; exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which ye stand.

She that is elected with you in Babylon salutes you, and Marcus my son.