Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

whom having not seen, you love; in whom not yet seeing, but believing in Him you exult with unspeakable joy, and having been glorified,

To them it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us, they ministered the things which are now reported to you by those who have preached the gospel to you in the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

but according to the Holy One who has called you, you also become holy in all conduct,

And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to the work of each one, pass the time of your earthly residence in fear,

those believing in God through Him, He who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Therefore also it is contained in the Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner Stone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him shall never be ashamed."

Therefore to you who believe is the honor. But to those who are disobedient, He is the Stone which the builders rejected; this One came to be the Head of the corner,

and a Stone-of-stumbling and a Rock-of-offense to those disobeying, who stumble at the Word, to which they also were appointed.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

you who then were not a people, but now the people of God, those not pitied then, but now pitied.

He who did no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth,

who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself up to Him who judges righteously.

Of whom let not be the adorning of garments, or outward braiding of hair and wearing of gold, or of putting on clothing,

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord's face is against those who do evil.

And who is the one who will harm you if you become imitators of the good?

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, where the angels and authorities and powers are being subjected to Him.

But they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory, and the might forever and ever. Amen.

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.

I exhort the elders who are among you, I being also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood.