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) 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

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) and into an inheritance(R) that can never perish, spoil or fade.(S) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,(T) 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. In all this you greatly rejoice,(X) though now for a little while(Y) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.(Z) These have come so that the proven genuineness(AA) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire(AB)—may result in praise, glory and honor(AC) when Jesus Christ is revealed.(AD) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him(AE) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.(AF)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke(AG) of the grace that was to come to you,(AH) searched intently and with the greatest care,(AI) 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ(AJ) in them was pointing when he predicted(AK) the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,(AL) when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you(AM) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.(AN) Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,(AO) set your hope(AP) on the grace to be brought to you(AQ) when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.(AR) 14 As obedient(AS) children, do not conform(AT) to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.(AU) 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;(AV) 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a](AW)

17 Since you call on a Father(AX) who judges each person’s work(AY) impartially,(AZ) live out your time as foreigners(BA) here in reverent fear.(BB) 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed(BC) from the empty way of life(BD) handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood(BE) of Christ, a lamb(BF) without blemish or defect.(BG) 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world,(BH) but was revealed in these last times(BI) for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God,(BJ) who raised him from the dead(BK) and glorified him,(BL) and so your faith and hope(BM) are in God.

22 Now that you have purified(BN) yourselves by obeying(BO) the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,(BP) from the heart.[b] 23 For you have been born again,(BQ) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,(BR) through the living and enduring word of God.(BS) 24 For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[c](BT)

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2
  2. 1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
  3. 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)

A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation

(A)Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as (B)strangers, (C)scattered throughout (D)Pontus, (E)Galatia, (F)Cappadocia, (G)Asia, and (H)Bithynia, (I)who are chosen according to the (J)foreknowledge of God the Father, (K)by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, [a]to (L)obey Jesus Christ and be (M)sprinkled with His blood: (N)May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

(O)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who (P)according to His great mercy (Q)has caused us to be born again to (R)a living hope through the (S)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an (T)inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and (U)will not fade away, (V)reserved in heaven for you, who are (W)protected by the power of God (X)through faith for (Y)a salvation ready (Z)to be revealed in the last time. (AA)In this you greatly rejoice, even though now (AB)for a little while, (AC)if necessary, you have been distressed by (AD)various [b]trials, so that the [c](AE)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes (AF)though tested by fire, (AG)may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at (AH)the revelation of Jesus Christ; and (AI)though you have not seen Him, you (AJ)love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [d]full of glory, obtaining as (AK)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of [e]your souls.

10 (AL)As to this salvation, the prophets who (AM)prophesied of the (AN)grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 [f]seeking to know what person or time (AO)the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He (AP)predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories [g]to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who (AQ)preached the gospel to you by (AR)the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which (AS)angels long to [h]look.

13 Therefore, [i](AT)prepare your minds for action, [j](AU)keep sober in spirit, set your (AV)hope completely on the (AW)grace to be brought to you at (AX)the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As [k](AY)obedient children, do not [l](AZ)be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your (BA)ignorance, 15 but [m](BB)like the Holy One who called you, [n](BC)be holy yourselves also (BD)in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “(BE)You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17 If you (BF)address as Father the One who (BG)impartially (BH)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves (BI)in fear during the time of your (BJ)stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [o](BK)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your (BL)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious (BM)blood, as of a (BN)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was (BO)foreknown before (BP)the foundation of the world, but has (BQ)appeared [p]in these last times (BR)for the sake of you 21 who through Him are (BS)believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and (BT)gave Him glory, so that your faith and (BU)hope are in God.

22 Since you have (BV)purified your souls (BW)in obedience to the truth for a (BX)sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from [q]the heart, 23 for you have been (BY)born again (BZ)not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring (CA)word of God. 24 For,

(CB)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 (CC)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is (CD)the word which was [r]preached to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:2 Lit unto obedience and sprinkling
  2. 1 Peter 1:6 Or temptations
  3. 1 Peter 1:7 Or genuineness
  4. 1 Peter 1:8 Lit glorified
  5. 1 Peter 1:9 One early ms does not contain your
  6. 1 Peter 1:11 Or inquiring
  7. 1 Peter 1:11 Lit after these
  8. 1 Peter 1:12 Or gain a clear glimpse
  9. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit belt up the waist of your mind
  10. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit be sober
  11. 1 Peter 1:14 Lit children of obedience
  12. 1 Peter 1:14 Or conform yourselves
  13. 1 Peter 1:15 Lit according to
  14. 1 Peter 1:15 Or become
  15. 1 Peter 1:18 Or ransomed
  16. 1 Peter 1:20 Lit at the end of the times
  17. 1 Peter 1:22 Two early mss a pure heart
  18. 1 Peter 1:25 Lit preached as good news to you

Greeting

From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

To God’s chosen people who are temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟ and are scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. God the Father knew you long ago and chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit’s help so that you are obedient to Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with his blood.

May good will [a] and peace fill your lives!

Faith in Christ Brings You Joy

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life. We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again.

Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.

10 The prophets carefully researched and investigated this salvation. Long ago they spoke about God’s kindness [b] that would come to you. 11 So they tried to find out what time or situation the Spirit of Christ kept referring to whenever he predicted Christ’s sufferings and the glory that would follow. 12 God revealed to the prophets that the things they had spoken were not for their own benefit but for yours. What the prophets had spoken, the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven, has now made known to you by those who spread the Good News among you. These are things that even the angels want to look into.

Live Holy Lives

13 Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again. 14 Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your desires because you didn’t know any better. 15 But because the God who called you is holy, you must be holy in every aspect of your life. 16 Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites. 18 Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed. 19 Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections. 20 He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time. 21 Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.

Love Each Other

22 Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other. 23 You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. That’s why ⌞Scripture says⌟,

24 “All people are like grass,
and all their beauty is like a flower of the field.
The grass dries up and the flower drops off,
25 but the word of the Lord lasts forever.”

This word is the Good News that was told to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Or “grace.”
  2. 1:10 Or “grace.”