1 Peter 1:4-2:12

English Standard Version

⁴to ^(A)an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and ^(B)unfading, ^(C)kept in heaven for you, ⁵who by God's power are being guarded ^(D)through faith for a salvation ^(E)ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by ^(F)various trials, ⁷so that ^(G)the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes ^(H)though it is tested by ^(I)fire—may be found to result in ^(J)praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸^(K)Though you have not seen him, you love him. ^(L)Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹obtaining ^(M)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰Concerning this salvation, ^(N)the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, ¹¹inquiring ^(O)what person or time^[a] ^(P)the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating ^(Q)when he predicted ^(R)the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. ¹²^(S)It was revealed to them that ^(T)they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you ^(U)by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, ^(V)things into which angels long to look.

Called to Be Holy

¹³Therefore, ^(W)preparing your minds for action,^[b] and ^(X)being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As obedient children, ^(Y)do not be conformed to the passions ^(Z)of your former ignorance, ¹⁵but ^(AA)as he who called you is holy, you also be holy ^(AB)in all your conduct, ¹⁶since it is written, ^(AC)“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ¹⁷And if you ^(AD)call on him as Father who ^(AE)judges ^(AF)impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves ^(AG)with fear throughout the time of your exile, ¹⁸knowing that you ^(AH)were ransomed from ^(AI)the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹but ^(AJ)with the precious blood of Christ, like that of ^(AK)a lamb ^(AL)without blemish or spot. ²⁰He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but ^(AM)was made manifest ^(AN)in the last times for the sake of you ²¹^(AO)who through him are believers in God, ^(AP)who raised him from the dead and ^(AQ)gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

²²Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for ^(AR)a sincere brotherly love, ^(AS)love one another earnestly from a pure heart, ²³^(AT)since you have been born again, ^(AU)not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through ^(AV)the living and abiding word of God; ²⁴for

^(AW)“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
²⁵^(AX)but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word ^(AY)is the good news that was preached to you.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 ^(AZ)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. ²^(BA)Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual ^(BB)milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³if indeed you have ^(BC)tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴As you come to him, a living stone ^(BD)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵^(BE)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as ^(BF)a spiritual house, to be ^(BG)a holy priesthood, ^(BH)to offer spiritual sacrifices ^(BI)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

^(BJ)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
^(BK)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷So the honor is for you who ^(BL)believe, but for those who ^(BM)do not believe,

^(BN)“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”^[c]

⁸and

^(BO)“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, ^(BP)as they were destined to do.

⁹But you are ^(BQ)a chosen race, ^(BR)a royal ^(BS)priesthood, ^(BT)a holy nation, ^(BU)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ^(BV)out of darkness into ^(BW)his marvelous light. ¹⁰^(BX)Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you ^(BY)as sojourners and exiles ^(BZ)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, ^(CA)which wage war against your soul. ¹²^(CB)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(CC)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on ^(CD)the day of visitation.