1 Peter 1

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Salutation

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappado′cia, Asia, and Bithyn′ia,^[a] ²chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A Living Hope

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you rejoice,^[b] though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, ⁷so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸Without having seen^[c] him you^[d] love him; though you do not now see him you^[e] believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. ⁹As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation; ¹¹they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ^[f] within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

A Call to Holy Living

¹³Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, ¹⁵but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; ¹⁶since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ¹⁷And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. ¹⁸You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. ²⁰He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. ²¹Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.^[g]

²²Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. ²³You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; ²⁴for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
²⁵but the word of the Lord abides for ever.”

That word is the good news which was preached to you.

Footnotes

1.1 See note on Jas 1.1. Baptism is the main theme of this letter which, in fact, may have been a baptismal address.
1 Peter 1:6 Or Rejoice in this
1 Peter 1:8 Other ancient authorities read known
1 Peter 1:8 Or omit you
1 Peter 1:8 Or omit you
1.11 Spirit of Christ: Christ, as the eternally existing Word, is envisaged as inspiring the prophets of old.
1 Peter 1:21 Or so that your faith is hope in God

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.