Greeting

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of ^(A)the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to ^(B)the foreknowledge of God the Father, ^(C)in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and ^(D)for sprinkling with his blood:

May ^(E)grace and ^(F)peace be multiplied to you.

Born Again to a Living Hope

^3 (G)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! ^(H)According to his great mercy, ^(I)he has caused us to be born again to a living hope ^(J)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to ^(K)an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and ^(L)unfading, ^(M)kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded ^(N)through faith for a salvation ^(O)ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by ^(P)various trials, ⁷ so that ^(Q)the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes ^(R)though it is tested by ^(S)fire—may be found to result in ^(T)praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ^8 (U)Though you have not seen him, you love him. ^(V)Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining ^(W)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing ^(A)the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But ^(B)what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. ^12 (C)We are not commending ourselves to you again but ^(D)giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. ¹³ For if we ^(E)are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(F)controls us, because we have concluded this: that ^(G)one has died for all, therefore all have died; ¹⁵ and he died for all, ^(H)that those who live might no longer live for themselves but ^(I)for him who for their sake died and was raised.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ That very day ^(A)two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ^16 (B)But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was ^(C)a prophet ^(D)mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and ^(E)how our chief priests and ^(F)rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was ^(G)the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now ^(H)the third day since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. ^(I)They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and ^(J)when they did not find his body, they came back saying that ^(K)they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ^24 (L)Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ^26 (M)Was it not necessary that ^(N)the Christ should suffer these things and enter into ^(O)his glory?” ²⁷ And ^(P)beginning with ^(Q)Moses and ^(R)all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. ^(S)He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹ but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and ^(T)the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and ^(U)blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ^31 (V)And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And ^(W)he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, ^(X)“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he ^(Y)opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they ^(Z)found the eleven and ^(AA)those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and ^(AB)has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and ^(AC)how he was known to them in ^(AD)the breaking of the bread.