问安

耶稣基督的使徒彼得

致那些蒙拣选,分散在本都加拉太卡帕多细亚亚细亚比提尼亚寄居的人, 就是按照父神的预知,藉着圣灵分别为圣,以致顺从耶稣基督,又蒙他宝血所洒的人:

愿恩典与平安多多地加给你们!

活的盼望

愿颂赞归于神——我们主耶稣基督的父!他照着自己极大的怜悯,藉着耶稣基督从死人中的复活,使我们重生,得着永生的盼望, 得着不会朽坏、不会玷污、不会衰残、保存[a]在天上的继业; 你们藉着信,在神的大能中蒙保守,以至于那预备好要在末世显现的救恩。 为此,你们欢欣跳跃,但如今必须在种种试炼中暂时忧伤, 好让你们的信仰经过考验,就比那被火炼过仍然会朽坏的金子更加宝贵,能在耶稣基督显现的时候,被看为是可以得着称赞、荣耀和尊贵的。 你们虽然没有见过他,却爱他;虽然如今看不到他,却信他,并且怀着无法描述、充满荣耀的喜乐而欢欣跳跃, 因为你们正在领受你们信仰的结果,就是灵魂的救恩。

10 关于这救恩,那些预言你们要得着这恩典的先知,曾经寻求过,详细查考过。 11 他们查考了自己里面基督之灵,当他预言有关基督的苦难和此后的荣耀时,究竟指明的是什么时候、或什么样的情况。 12 他们蒙了启示,知道所服事的这一切,不是为自己,而是为你们。如今,这些事藉着从天上派来的圣灵,通过那些向你们传福音的人,传讲给了你们;对于这些事,天使们也渴望能详细察看。

应当过圣洁的生活

13 因此,你们要约束自己的意念[b],要谨慎,要把盼望完全寄托在耶稣基督显现时带给你们的恩典上。 14 做为顺从的儿女,不可效法你们原先愚昧无知时的那些欲望; 15 相反,正如召唤你们的那一位是圣洁的,你们在一切行为上也当成为圣洁的, 16 因为经上记着:“你们当成为圣洁的,因为我是圣洁的。”[c]

17 你们既然称不偏待人、只按每个人的行为施行审判的那一位为父,就应当怀着敬畏的心,过你们寄居的日子, 18 因为你们知道,你们被救赎,脱离祖先所传下来的虚妄行为,不是凭着会朽坏的东西,如银子或金子, 19 而是凭着那像羔羊一样毫无瑕疵、毫无玷污的基督宝血。 20 基督在创世以前就已经被神[d]预先知道,又在这末后的时代为你们的缘故显明出来。 21 藉着基督[e],你们信靠那使他从死人中复活、又赐他荣耀的神,以致你们的信仰和盼望也都在于神。

22 你们既然藉着顺从真理,[f]使自己的灵魂[g]纯洁,以致有了不虚假的弟兄之爱,就应当以洁净的心[h],彼此热切地相爱。 23 你们得以重生,不是出于会朽坏的种子,而是出于不朽坏的种子,是藉着神永活长存的话语, 24 因为,

“所有的人[i]都像草一样,
他们的一切荣耀就像草上的花;
草会枯干,花会凋谢,
25 但主的话却永远长存。”[j]

所传给你们的福音就是这话。

Footnotes

  1. 彼得前书 1:4 保存——原文直译“为你们保存”。
  2. 彼得前书 1:13 约束自己的意念——原文直译“束上自己意念的腰带”。
  3. 彼得前书 1:16 《利未记》11:44-45;19:2;20:7。
  4. 彼得前书 1:20 神——辅助词语。
  5. 彼得前书 1:21 基督——原文直译“他”。
  6. 彼得前书 1:22 有古抄本附“藉着圣灵”。
  7. 彼得前书 1:22 灵魂——或译作“生命”。
  8. 彼得前书 1:22 以洁净的心——有古抄本作“从心里”。
  9. 彼得前书 1:24 人——原文直译“肉体”。
  10. 彼得前书 1:25 《以赛亚书》40:6-8。

Greeting

From Peter, an apostle of Yeshua Christ.

To God’s chosen people who are temporary residents in the world and are scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you long ago and chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit’s help so that you are obedient to Yeshua Christ and are sprinkled with his blood.

May good will[a] and peace fill your lives!

Faith in Christ Brings You Joy

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Yeshua Christ has come back to life. We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Yeshua Christ appears again.

Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.

10 The prophets carefully researched and investigated this salvation. Long ago they spoke about God’s kindness[b] that would come to you. 11 So they tried to find out what time or situation the Spirit of Christ kept referring to whenever he predicted Christ’s sufferings and the glory that would follow. 12 God revealed to the prophets that the things they had spoken were not for their own benefit but for yours. What the prophets had spoken, the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven, has now made known to you by those who spread the Good News among you. These are things that even the angels want to look into.

Live Holy Lives

13 Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Yeshua Christ appears again. 14 Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your desires because you didn’t know any better. 15 But because the God who called you is holy you must be holy in every aspect of your life. 16 Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites. 18 Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed. 19 Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections. 20 He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time. 21 Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.

Love Each Other

22 Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other. 23 You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. That’s why Scripture says,

24 “All people are like grass,
    and all their beauty is like a flower of the field.
    The grass dries up and the flower drops off,
25 but the word of the Lord lasts forever.”

This word is the Good News that was told to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:2 Or “grace.”
  2. 1 Peter 1:10 Or “grace.”

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,(A)

To God’s elect,(B) exiles(C) scattered(D) throughout the provinces of Pontus,(E) Galatia,(F) Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,(G) who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge(H) of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,(I) to be obedient(J) to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:(K)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.(L)

Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!(M) In his great mercy(N) he has given us new birth(O) into a living hope(P) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(Q) and into an inheritance(R) that can never perish, spoil or fade.(S) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,(T) who through faith are shielded by God’s power(U) until the coming of the salvation(V) that is ready to be revealed(W) in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice,(X) though now for a little while(Y) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.(Z) These have come so that the proven genuineness(AA) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire(AB)—may result in praise, glory and honor(AC) when Jesus Christ is revealed.(AD) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him(AE) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.(AF)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke(AG) of the grace that was to come to you,(AH) searched intently and with the greatest care,(AI) 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ(AJ) in them was pointing when he predicted(AK) the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,(AL) when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you(AM) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.(AN) Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy

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

17 Since you call on a Father(AX) who judges each person’s work(AY) impartially,(AZ) live out your time as foreigners(BA) here in reverent fear.(BB) 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed(BC) from the empty way of life(BD) handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood(BE) of Christ, a lamb(BF) without blemish or defect.(BG) 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world,(BH) but was revealed in these last times(BI) for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God,(BJ) who raised him from the dead(BK) and glorified him,(BL) and so your faith and hope(BM) are in God.

22 Now that you have purified(BN) yourselves by obeying(BO) the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,(BP) from the heart.[b] 23 For you have been born again,(BQ) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,(BR) through the living and enduring word of God.(BS) 24 For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[c](BT)

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2
  2. 1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
  3. 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)