Praise to God for a Living Hope

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!^(A) In his great mercy^(B) he has given us new birth^(C) into a living hope^(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^{(E) 4} and into an inheritance^(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^{(H) 5} who through faith are shielded by God’s power^(I) until the coming of the salvation^(J) that is ready to be revealed^(K) in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice,^(L) though now for a little while^(M) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.^{(N) 7} These have come so that the proven genuineness^(O) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^(P)—may result in praise, glory and honor^(Q) when Jesus Christ is revealed.^{(R) 8} Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him^(S) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.^(T)

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke^(U) of the grace that was to come to you,^(V) searched intently and with the greatest care,^{(W) 11} trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ^(X) in them was pointing when he predicted^(Y) 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,^(Z) when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you^(AA) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.^(AB) Even angels long to look into these things.