Living Before God Our Father

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not (A)conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 (B)but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, (C)“Be holy, for I am holy.”

17 And if you call on the Father, who (D)without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your [a]stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with [b]corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but (E)with the precious blood of Christ, (F)as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:17 sojourning, dwelling as resident aliens
  2. 1 Peter 1:18 perishable

13 So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”(A)

17 If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth. 18 For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, 19 but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.(B)

Read full chapter

Be Holy

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,(A) set your hope(B) on the grace to be brought to you(C) when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.(D) 14 As obedient(E) children, do not conform(F) to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.(G) 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;(H) 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a](I)

17 Since you call on a Father(J) who judges each person’s work(K) impartially,(L) live out your time as foreigners(M) here in reverent fear.(N) 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed(O) from the empty way of life(P) handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood(Q) of Christ, a lamb(R) without blemish or defect.(S)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2

A Call to Holy Living

13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”[a]

17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1:16 Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7.

A Future in God

13-16 So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

17 You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.

18-21 Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

Read full chapter