For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror;

But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and'so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.

but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

So speak and so do, as being about to be judged by the law of liberty.

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Behold also the ships, being so great and driven by fierce winds, are guided about by a very small rudder, wherever the impulse of the man who steers determines.

And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Thus, the tongue is made to lead among our body-parts, defiling the whole body, and setting the cycle of nature on fire, and being set on fire by hell.

For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species,

but the tongue no human being can tame. It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison.

Therewith, are we blessing our Lord and Father, and, therewith, we are cursing the men who, after the likeness of God, have been brought into being!

But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth.

And the fruit of righteousness is being sown in peace by those who are working peace.

or you pray and yet do not receive, because you pray wrongly, your object being to waste what you get on some pleasure or another.

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.

Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.

Stop muttering against one another, brothers, so as to keep from being judged yourselves. Look! The Judge is standing at the very door.

And the prayer of faith shall save him being sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he should have wrought sins, it shall be remitted to him.

Acknowledge your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that ye might be healed. The prayer of the just, being energetic, is very powerful.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

[This is being written by] Jesus' apostle Peter, to God's people who are scattered throughout the countries of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. [Note: These places are located in present-day Turkey].

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ's blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to be praised for being so merciful as to have given us a new birth, which provides for us a hope of never ending life through the means of Jesus Christ's return from the dead.

men being kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

You have cause for great joy in this, though it may have been necessary for you to be troubled for a little time, being tested in all sorts of ways,

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:

Being about to bear away the end of your faith - a salvation of souls:

It was revealed to these prophets that you people, not they, were the ones being ministered to in the matters now being announced to you by those who preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven. [This message contained] things which angels would like to look into.

Therefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope entirely for the grace brought to you at the revealing of Jesus Christ.

As children of obedience, not being fashioned after your former lusts in ignorance:

but in accordance with the Holy Being who has called you, you must prove to be holy too,

Being conscious that you have been made free from that foolish way of life which was your heritage from your fathers, not through a payment of things like silver or gold which come to destruction,

And as you have made your souls clean, being ruled by what is true, and loving one another without deceit, see that your love is warm and from the heart:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

You, as living stones, are being made into a house of the spirit, a holy order of priests, making those offerings of the spirit which are pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

For it says in the Scripture [Isa. 28:16], "Look, I am placing a stone in [the city of] Zion [i.e., Jerusalem]. It is a specially selected, very valuable cornerstone. And the person who trusts in the Him [i.e., the One represented by this stone] will never have to suffer shame [i.e., because of unforgiven sin being brought up against him]."

and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Being of good behaviour among the Gentiles; so that though they say now that you are evil-doers, they may see your good works and give glory to God when he comes to be their judge.

Therefore because of the Lord, ye should submit to every human establishment, whether to a king as being supreme,

or to governors as being sent by him for vengeance of evil-doers and praise of well-doers.

as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for wicked practices; but as being servants of God.

Servants being subjected to masters in all fear; not only to the good and equitable, but also to the crooked.

For God approves a man if from a sense of duty he endures suffering unjustly inflicted??20 for what credit is there in your enduring being beaten for doing wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing what is right, you have God's approval.

For what kind of credit is it, if, sinning and being beaten, ye will endure? But if, doing good and suffering, ye will endure, this is graciousness with God.

Who, being reviled, did not revile in return. Suffering, he did not threaten, but yielded to him who judges righteously.

He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well.

Likewise the wives, being subordinate to their own husbands, so that even if any are disobedient to the word, they will be gained without a word by the behavior of the wives,

being eye-witnesses of your chaste behaviour with timidity.

but in the internal qualities of the mind, in that purity, in that mild and dispassionate temper, which is so acceptable to the divine being.

For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children ye became, doing good, and not being afraid of anything fearful.

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.

And, finally, all, being of one mind, having fellow - feeling, attached to the brethren, of tender affection, of lowly mind:

Do not repay a wrong action with [another] wrong action, nor abusive [language] with [additional] abuse, but rather be a blessing [to one another]. For the purpose of your being called [by God] was so that you could receive a blessing [from Him eventually].

However, if you suffer in the cause of virtue, it is your happiness: and instead of being over-awed by their threats, and struck with concern,

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:

Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame.

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;

Spirits unyielding at one time, when the longsuffering of God was holding forth a welcome in the days of Noah, there being in preparation an ark - going into which, a few, that is eight, souls, were brought safely through by means of water, -

who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:

being hospitable to one another without grudging;

My dear brethren, don't be surpriz'd at your being brought as it were to the test of fire; as if some strange thing had happen'd to you.

but as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; in order that you may also rejoice in the revelation of his glory, being glad.

If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the spirit of glory and of God is resting upon you.

Of course, none of you should suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker.

but if anyone suffers for being a Christian, he must not be ashamed of it, but should keep on praising God for bearing this name.

I address myself to you pastors, as being a pastor myself, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as one who is to partake of the glory, that shall hereafter be made manifest;

be shepherds to your flock of God; take charge of them willingly instead of being pressed to it, not to make a base profit from it but freely,

not lording it over those assigned to your care [do not be arrogant or overbearing], but be examples [of Christian living] to the flock [set a pattern of integrity for your congregation].

Likewise younger men should be subordinate to the elder men. And all being subordinate to each other, clothe yourselves with humility, because God sets himself against the haughty, but gives grace to the lowly.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, knowing well that the same afflictions are being accomplished in your brothers that are in the world.

This brief message is being inscribed [or delivered] by Silvanus, whom I consider to be a faithful brother. [In it] I am exhorting you and giving testimony that it is a message about God's genuine unearned favor upon you. So, continue to follow [and obey] what it says.

[This letter is being written by] Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith just as precious as ours, through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

And through this he has given us the hope of great rewards highly to be valued; so that by them we might have our part in God's being, and be made free from the destruction which is in the world through the desires of the flesh.

For these things existing in you and abounding, it leads to not being idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he in whom these things are not present is blind, being near-sighted, having deliberately forgotten the purification of his former sins.

So, brothers, be diligent to make sure of your calling and election [i.e., of your status as being selected by God], for when you do, you will never stumble [and fall away from God].

Wherefore I will not neglect to remind you always of these things, though having known, and being supported in the present truth.

But I consider it the right thing to do, as long as I am in this "tent" [Note: This is an allusion to his still being alive], to stir up your memory [of these things],

For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [by] following ingeniously concocted myths, but [by] being eyewitnesses of that one's majesty.

For, when he received from God the Father honour and glory, a voice, being borne to him such as this, by the magnificent glory - My Son, the beloved, is, this, in whom, I, delight,

And we heard this voice, which was brought out of heaven, being with him on the holy mountain.

So we have the prophetic word made more certain. You do well to pay [close] attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and light breaks through the gloom and the morning star arises in your hearts.

Being conscious in the first place that no man by himself may give a special sense to the words of the prophets.

For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

And many people will follow their unrestrained, indecent conduct, which will result in the true way [of God] being spoken against.

For if God did not spare heavenly agents who sinned, but delivered them up to chains of darkness, having been cast into hell being reserved for judgment,

and he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, being reduced to ashes, having made an example of men who were going to be irreverent,

and he rescued righteous Lot, being distressed by the conduct of the lawless in their licentiousness

for as long as that upright man was living among them, his upright soul, day and night, was always being tortured by what he saw and heard in their lawless actions --

the Lord knows how to rescue the pious out of temptation, and to hold in reserve unrighteous men being cut off for a day of judgment.

especially those, who prostitute themselves to sensual infamous passions: who despise magistrates, who being audacious, and insolent, intrepidly calumniate the higher powers;

Whereas heavenly agents, being greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before Lord.

These, however, as unreasoning creatures that have been bred as being, by nature, for capture and destruction, in the things they are ignorant of, uttering defamation, in their spoiling, shall also be made a spoil, -

suffering wrong [destined for punishment] as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously]. They are stains and blemishes [on mankind], reveling in their deceptions even as they feast with you.

Their very eyes are full of adultery--being eyes which never cease from sin. These men set traps to catch unstedfast souls, their own hearts being well trained in greed. They are fore-doomed to God's curse!

Promising, freedom to them, they themselves, being all the while, slaves of corruption, - for, by whom one hath been defeated, by the same, hath he become enslaved, -

for, if having escaped from the pollutions of the world, in the acknowledging of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and by these again being entangled, they have been overcome, become to them hath the last things worse than the first,