Even prophets have searched and inquired about that salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was meant for you;

the Spirit of messiah within them foretold all the suffering of messiah and his after-glory, and they pondered when or how this was to come;

to them it was revealed that they got this intelligence not for themselves but for you, regarding all that has now been disclosed to you by those who preached the gospel to you through the holy Spirit sent from heaven. The very angels long to get a glimpse of this!

you know it was not by perishable silver or gold that you were ransomed from the futile traditions of your past,

He was predestined before the foundation of the world and has appeared at the end of the ages for your sake;

He committed no sin, no guile was ever found upon his lips;

he was reviled and made no retort, he suffered and never threatened, but left everything to Him who judges justly;

It was in this way long ago that the holy women who hoped in God adorned themselves. They were submissive to their husbands.

Christ himself died for sins, once for all, a just man for unjust men, that he might bring us near to God; in the flesh he was put to death but he came to life in the Spirit.

(It was in the Spirit that Enoch also went and preached to the imprisoned spirits

(for this was why the gospel was preached to the dead as well, that while they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live as God lives in the spirit).

Now I make this appeal to your presbyters (for I am a presbyter myself, I was a witness of what Christ suffered and I am to share the glory that will be revealed),