to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

Who, by the power of God are kept, through faith, for that salvation, which will be seen at the last day.

You will rejoice then, though for the passing moment you may need to suffer various trials;

they are to show that your faith when tested is found to be more precious than gold, which though it is perishable is tested with fire, and they will bring you praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

You never knew him, but you love him; for the moment you do not see him, but you believe in him, and you will thrill with an unspeakable and glorious joy

because you will receive the goal of your faith, the ultimate salvation of your souls.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ?

for it is written, "You will be holy, because I [am] holy."

But the word of the Lord will last forever," that is, the good news that has been brought to you.

Rid yourselves therefore of all ill-will and all deceitfulness, of insincerity and envy, and of all evil speaking.

and like new-born babes crave the pure spiritual milk that will make you grow up to salvation,

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

Because it is contained in Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be put to shame."

trusts thereon shall not be confounded. it will prove an honour to you, who believe; but to the incredulous, the same stone, which is the chief of the angle,

and "A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip them up." They stumble over the message because they will not obey it; that is their destiny.

My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul;

You should live such good lives before [unconverted] Gentiles, so that even though they accuse you of being evildoers, by seeing your good deeds, they will [be led to] honor God [for you] on the day He visits us again [i.e., to bring judgment].

and to governors as deputed by him for the punishment of wrongdoers and the encouragement of honest people ??15 for it is the will of God that by your honest lives you should silence the ignorant charges of foolish persons.

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

For what glory is it, if when ye sin and are punished for it, ye bear it patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye bear it patiently, this will gain favor with God.

this will conciliate the divine favour. and this is the condition of your vocation, since Christ himself has suffer'd for us,

In the same way you wives must be submissive to your own husbands; so that if some of them will not believe the message, they may apart from the message be won over by the behavior of their wives,

such was Sarah, who show'd her obeysance to Abraham, by stiling him her Lord: and you will be stiled her children, if you imitate her conduct, and are not to be terrified out of your virtue.

Husbands, in the same way live with [your wives] {knowledgeably}, as with the weaker female vessel, showing [them] honor as fellow heirs also of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Now who is he who will harm you, if you become zealous of that which is good?

But do this gently and respectfully, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in the Messiah will be ashamed of slandering you.

For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

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

For enough time in the past has been spent doing the will of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.

They insult you now because they are surprised that you are no longer joining them in the same excesses of wild living.

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

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

Because everything will soon come to an end, be sensible and clear-headed, so you can pray.

But above all things have fervent love towards each other: for love will conceal a multitude of faults.

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 anyone speaks, [let it be] as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, [let it be] as by the strength that God provides, so that in all [things] God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power {forever and ever}. Amen.

You should rejoice that you are sharing some of what Christ has suffered, so that you will get to rejoice all the more when He returns in His splendor.

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who do not obey the Good News of God?

"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?"

Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.

Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.