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:

Concerning which salvation prophets, who have prophesied of the grace towards you, sought out and searched out;

searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed out, testifying before of the sufferings which belonged to Christ, and the glories after these.

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.

Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope with perfect stedfastness in the grace which will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

but the word of the Lord abides for eternity. But this is the word which in the glad tidings is preached to you.

To you therefore who believe is the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of the corner,

and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; who stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed.

Beloved, I exhort you, as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

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.

but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.

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

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.

in which also going he preached to the spirits which are in prison,

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:

which figure also now saves you, even baptism, not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the demand as before God of a good conscience, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

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.

Beloved, take not as strange the fire of persecution which has taken place amongst you for your trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you;

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am their fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of the Christ, who also am partaker of the glory about to be revealed:

shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising oversight, not by necessity, but willingly; not for base gain, but readily;

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.