1 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) 2} 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

³ 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) 4} and into an inheritance^(R) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(S) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^{(T) 5} 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.

²¹ Through him you believe in God,^(A) who raised him from the dead^(B) and glorified him,^(C) and so your faith and hope^(D) are in God.

⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built^(A) into a spiritual house^[a](B) to be a holy priesthood,^(C) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^{(D) 6} For in Scripture it says:

⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(G)

⁸ and,

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(K)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(L) a royal priesthood,^(M) a holy nation,^(N) God’s special possession,^(O) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^{(P) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(Q) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.