Suffering for Right and Wrong

^13 (A)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ^14 (B)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ^(C)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But ^[a]sanctify ^[b]the Lord God in your hearts, and always ^(D)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the ^(E)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ^16 (F)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

¹⁹ but ^(A)with the precious blood of Christ, ^(B)as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ^20 (C)He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was ^[a]manifest ^(D)in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, ^(E)who raised Him from the dead and ^(F)gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

²² Since you ^(G)have purified your souls in obeying the truth ^[b]through the Spirit in ^[c]sincere ^(H)love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ^23 (I)having been born again, not of ^[d]corruptible seed but ^[e]incorruptible, ^(J)through the word of God which lives and abides ^[f]forever,

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People^(A)

⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, ^(B)rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who ^[a]are disobedient,

⁸ and

^(F)They stumble, being disobedient to the word, ^(G)to which they also were appointed.

A Heavenly Inheritance

^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ^(B)according to His abundant mercy ^(C)has begotten us again to a living hope ^(D)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance ^[a]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, ^(E)reserved in heaven for you, ^5 (F)who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

^6 (G)In this you greatly rejoice, though now ^(H)for a little while, if need be, ^(I)you have been ^[b]grieved by various trials, ⁷ that ^(J)the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though ^(K)it is tested by fire, ^(L)may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ^8 (M)whom having not ^[c]seen you love. ^(N)Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

¹³ He has delivered us from ^(A)the power of darkness ^(B)and ^[a]conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ^14 (C)in whom we have redemption ^[b]through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁵ He is ^(D)the image of the invisible God, ^(E)the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For ^(F)by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or ^(G)dominions or ^[c]principalities or ^[d]powers. All things were created ^(H)through Him and for Him. ^17 (I)And He is before all things, and in Him ^(J)all things consist. ¹⁸ And ^(K)He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, ^(L)the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that ^(M)in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and ^(N)by Him to reconcile ^(O)all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, ^(P)having made peace through the blood of His cross.

²¹ And you, ^(Q)who once were alienated and enemies in your mind ^(R)by wicked works, yet now He has ^(S)reconciled ^22 (T)in the body of His flesh through death, ^(U)to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue ^(V)in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are ^(W)not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, ^(X)which was preached to every creature under heaven, ^(Y)of which I, Paul, became a minister.