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1 Peter 1-5
Easy-to-Read Version
1 Peter 1-5
Easy-to-Read Version
1 Greetings from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
To God’s chosen people who are away from their homes—people scattered all over the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2 God planned long ago to choose you and to make you his holy people, which is the Spirit’s work. God wanted you to obey him and to be made clean by the blood sacrifice[a] of Jesus Christ.
I pray that you will enjoy more and more of God’s grace and peace.
A Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has great mercy, and because of his mercy he gave us a new life. This new life brings us a living hope through Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death. 4 Now we wait to receive the blessings God has for his children. These blessings are kept for you in heaven. They cannot be ruined or be destroyed or lose their beauty.
5 God’s power protects you through your faith, and it keeps you safe until your salvation comes. That salvation is ready to be given to you at the end of time. 6 I know the thought of that is exciting, even if you must suffer through different kinds of troubles for a short time now. 7 These troubles test your faith and prove that it is pure. And such faith is worth more than gold. Gold can be proved to be pure by fire, but gold will ruin. When your faith is proven to be pure, the result will be praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ comes.
8 You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are filled with a wonderful and heavenly joy that cannot be explained. 9 Your faith has a goal, and you are reaching that goal—your salvation.
10 The prophets studied carefully and tried to learn about this salvation. They spoke about the grace that was coming to you. 11 The Spirit of Christ was in those prophets. And the Spirit was telling about the sufferings that would happen to Christ and about the glory that would come after those sufferings. The prophets tried to learn about what the Spirit was showing them—when it would happen and what the world would be like at that time.
12 It was made clear to them that their service was not for themselves. They were serving you when they told about the things you have now heard. You heard them from those who told you the Good News with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels would like very much to know more about these things you were told.
A Call to Holy Living
13 So prepare your minds for service. With complete self-control put all your hope in the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ comes. 14 In the past you did not have the understanding you have now, so you did the evil things you wanted to do. But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before. 15 Be holy in everything you do, just as God is holy. He is the one who chose you. 16 In the Scriptures God says, “Be holy, because I am holy.”[b]
17 You pray to God and call him Father, but he will judge everyone the same way—by what they do. So while you are visiting here on earth, you should live with respect for God. 18 You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb. 20 Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for you. 21 You believe in God through Christ. God is the one who raised him from death and gave honor to him. So your faith and your hope are in God.
22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart. 23 You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God’s life-giving message that lasts forever. 24 The Scriptures say,
“Our lives are like the grass of spring,
and any glory we enjoy is like the beauty of a wildflower.
The grass dries up and dies,
and the flower falls to the ground.
25 But the word of the Lord lasts forever.” (A)
And that word is the Good News that was told to you.
The Living Stone and the Holy Nation
2 So then, stop doing anything to hurt others. Don’t lie anymore, and stop trying to fool people. Don’t be jealous or say bad things about others. 2 Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow up and be saved. 3 You have already tasted the goodness of the Lord.
4 The Lord Jesus is the living stone.[c] The people of the world decided that they did not want this stone. But he is the one God chose as one of great value. So come to him. 5 You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house.[d] You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ. 6 The Scriptures say,
“Look, I have chosen a cornerstone of great value,
and I put that stone in Zion.
Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” (B)
7 So, that stone brings honor for you who believe. But for those who don’t believe he is
“the stone that the builders refused to accept,
which became the most important stone.” (C)
8 For them he is also
“a stone that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes people fall.” (D)
People stumble because they don’t obey what God says. This is what God planned to happen to those people.
9 But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light.
10 In the past you were not a special people,
but now you are God’s people.
Once you had not received mercy,
but now God has given you his mercy.[e]
Live for God
11 Dear friends, you are like visitors and strangers in this world. So I beg you to keep your lives free from the evil things you want to do, those desires that fight against your true selves. 12 People who don’t believe are living all around you. They may say that you are doing wrong. So live such good lives that they will see the good you do, and they will give glory to God on the day he comes.
Obey Every Human Authority
13 Be willing to serve the people who have authority[f] in this world. Do this for the Lord. Obey the king, the highest authority. 14 And obey the leaders who are sent by the king. They are sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do good. 15 When you do good, you stop ignorant people from saying foolish things about you. This is what God wants. 16 Live like free people, but don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as those who are serving God. 17 Show respect for all people. Love your brothers and sisters in God’s family. Respect God, and honor the king.
The Example of Christ’s Suffering
18 Slaves, be willing to serve your masters. Do this with all respect. You should obey the masters who are good and kind, and you should obey the masters who are bad. 19 One of you might have to suffer even when you have done nothing wrong. If you think of God and bear the pain, this pleases God. 20 But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good and you are patient, this pleases God. 21 This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did:
22 “He never sinned,
and he never told a lie.” (E)
23 People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25 You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.
Wives and Husbands
3 In the same way, you wives should be willing to serve your husbands. Then, even those who have refused to accept God’s teaching will be persuaded to believe because of the way you live. You will not need to say anything. 2 Your husbands will see the pure lives that you live with respect for God. 3 It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. 4 No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God.
5 It was the same with the holy women who lived long ago and followed God. They made themselves beautiful in that same way. They were willing to serve their husbands. 6 I am talking about women like Sarah. She obeyed Abraham, her husband, and called him her master. And you women are true children of Sarah if you always do what is right and are not afraid.
7 In the same way, you husbands should live with your wives in an understanding way, since they are weaker than you. You should show them respect, because God gives them the same blessing he gives you—the grace of true life. Do this so that nothing will stop your prayers from being heard.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. 9 Don’t do wrong to anyone to pay them back for doing wrong to you. Or don’t insult anyone to pay them back for insulting you. But ask God to bless them. Do this because you yourselves were chosen to receive a blessing. 10 The Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy true life
and have only good days,
then avoid saying anything hurtful,
and never let a lie come out of your mouth.
11 Stop doing what is wrong, and do good.
Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully.
12 The Lord watches over those who do what is right,
and he listens to their prayers.
But he is against those who do evil.” (F)
13 If you are always trying to do good, no one can really harm you. 14 But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, you have God’s blessing. “Don’t be afraid of the people who make you suffer; don’t be worried.”[g] 15 But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have. 16 But answer them in a gentle way with respect. Keep your conscience clear. Then people will see the good way you live as followers of Christ, and those who say bad things about you will be ashamed of what they said.
17 It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Yes, it is better if that is what God wants.
18 Christ himself suffered when he died for you,
and with that one death he paid for your sins.
He was not guilty,
but he died for people who are guilty.
He did this to bring all of you to God.
In his physical form he was killed,
but he was made alive by the Spirit.[h]
19 And by the Spirit he went and preached to the spirits in prison. 20 Those were the spirits who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah. God was waiting patiently for people while Noah was building the big boat. And only a few—eight in all—were saved in the boat through the floodwater. 21 And that water is like baptism, which now saves you. Baptism is not the washing of dirt from the body. It is asking God for a clean conscience. It saves you because Jesus Christ was raised from death. 22 Now he has gone into heaven. He is at God’s right side and rules over angels, authorities, and powers.
Changed Lives
4 Christ suffered while he was in his body. So you should strengthen yourselves with the same kind of thinking Christ had. The one who accepts suffering in this life has clearly decided to stop sinning. 2 Strengthen yourselves so that you will live your lives here on earth doing what God wants, not the evil things that people want to do. 3 In the past you wasted too much time doing what those who don’t know God like to do. You were living immoral lives, doing the evil things you wanted to do. You were always getting drunk, having wild drinking parties, and doing shameful things in your worship of idols.
4 Now those “friends” think it is strange that you no longer join them in all the wild and wasteful things they do. And so they say bad things about you. 5 But they will have to face God to explain what they have done. He is the one who will soon judge everyone—those who are still living and those who have died. 6 Some were told the Good News before they died. They were criticized by others in their life here on earth. But it was God’s plan that they hear the Good News so that they could have a new life through the Spirit.[i]
Be Good Managers of God’s Gifts
7 The time is near when all things will end. So keep your minds clear, and control yourselves. This will help you in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, love each other deeply, because love makes you willing to forgive many sins. 9 Open your homes to each other and share your food without complaining. 10 God has shown you his grace in many different ways. So be good servants and use whatever gift he has given you in a way that will best serve each other. 11 If your gift is speaking, your words should be like words from God. If your gift is serving, you should serve with the strength that God gives. Then it is God who will be praised in everything through Jesus Christ. Power and glory belong to him forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as a Follower of Christ
12 My friends, don’t be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don’t think that something strange is happening to you. 13 But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. 14 When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you. 15 You may suffer, but don’t let it be because you murder, steal, make trouble, or try to control other people’s lives. 16 But if you suffer because you are a “Christ-follower,” don’t be ashamed. You should praise God for that name. 17 It is time for judging to begin. That judging will begin with God’s family. If it begins with us, then what will happen to those who don’t accept the Good News of God?
18 “If it is hard for even a good person to be saved,
what will happen to the one who is against God and full of sin?” (G)
19 So if God wants you to suffer, you should trust your lives to him. He is the one who made you, and you can trust him. So continue to do good.
The Flock of God
5 Now I have something to say to the elders in your group. I am also an elder. I myself have seen Christ’s sufferings. And I will share in the glory that will be shown to us. I beg you to 2 take care of the group of people you are responsible for. They are God’s flock.[j] Watch over that flock because you want to, not because you are forced to do it. That is how God wants it. Do it because you are happy to serve, not because you want money. 3 Don’t be like a ruler over those you are responsible for. But be good examples to them. 4 Then when Christ the Ruling Shepherd comes, you will get a crown—one that will be glorious and never lose its beauty.
5 Young people, I have something to say to you too. You should accept the authority of the elders. You should all have a humble attitude in dealing with each other.
“God is against the proud,
but he is kind to the humble.” (H)
6 So be humble under God’s powerful hand. Then he will lift you up when the right time comes. 7 Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.
8 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil is your enemy, and he goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to attack and eat. 9 Refuse to follow the devil. Stand strong in your faith. You know that your brothers and sisters all over the world are having the same sufferings that you have.
10 Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He will make you strong. He will support you and keep you from falling. He is the God who gives all grace. He chose you to share in his glory in Christ. That glory will continue forever. 11 All power is his forever. Amen.
Final Greetings
12 Silas will bring this letter to you. I know that he is a faithful brother in Christ. I wrote this short letter to encourage you. I wanted to tell you that this is the true grace of God. Stand strong in that grace.
13 The church in Babylon[k] sends you greetings. They were chosen just as you were. Mark, my son in Christ, also sends his greetings. 14 Give each other a special greeting[l] of love when you meet.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 1:2 made clean … sacrifice Or “sprinkled with the blood,” which probably compares the beginning of the new agreement by the blood sacrifice of Christ (Mk. 14:24) with Moses’ sprinkling the blood of animal sacrifices on the people of Israel to seal the agreement God made with them (Ex. 24:3-8). See also Heb. 9:15-26.
- 1 Peter 1:16
Quote from Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7. - 1 Peter 2:4 stone The most important stone in God’s spiritual temple or house (his people).
- 1 Peter 2:5 house God’s house—the place where God’s people worship him. Here, it means that believers are the spiritual building where God lives.
- 1 Peter 2:10 In the past … his mercy See Hos. 2:23.
- 1 Peter 2:13 people … authority Literally, “every human creation,” meaning rulers, governors, presidents, or other government leaders.
- 1 Peter 3:14
Quote from Isa. 8:12. - 1 Peter 3:18 by the Spirit Or “in the spirit.” Also in verse 19.
- 1 Peter 4:6 through the Spirit Or “in the spirit,” meaning in the spiritual or heavenly realm.
- 1 Peter 5:2 God’s flock God’s people. They are like a flock of sheep that need to be cared for.
- 1 Peter 5:13 The church in Babylon Literally, “She in Babylon.”
- 1 Peter 5:14 special greeting Literally, “kiss.”
1 Peter 1-5
New International Version
1 Peter 1-5
New International Version
1 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) 2 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
3 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) 4 and into an inheritance(R) that can never perish, spoil or fade.(S) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,(T) 5 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. 6 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) 7 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) 8 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, 9 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.
2 Therefore, rid yourselves(BU) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(BV) of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(BW) so that by it you may grow up(BX) in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(BY)
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone(BZ)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(CA) and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built(CB) into a spiritual house[d](CC) to be a holy priesthood,(CD) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(CE) 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,(CF)
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[e](CG)
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(CH)
8 and,
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(CL)
9 But you are a chosen people,(CM) a royal priesthood,(CN) a holy nation,(CO) God’s special possession,(CP) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(CQ) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(CR) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends,(CS) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(CT) to abstain from sinful desires,(CU) which wage war against your soul.(CV) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(CW) and glorify God(CX) on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:(CY) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong(CZ) and to commend those who do right.(DA) 15 For it is God’s will(DB) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.(DC) 16 Live as free people,(DD) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(DE) live as God’s slaves.(DF) 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,(DG) fear God, honor the emperor.(DH)
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,(DI) not only to those who are good and considerate,(DJ) but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.(DK) 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.(DL) 21 To this(DM) you were called,(DN) because Christ suffered for you,(DO) leaving you an example,(DP) that you should follow in his steps.
23 When they hurled their insults at him,(DS) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(DT) Instead, he entrusted himself(DU) to him who judges justly.(DV) 24 “He himself bore our sins”(DW) in his body on the cross,(DX) so that we might die to sins(DY) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”(DZ) 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[i](EA) but now you have returned to the Shepherd(EB) and Overseer of your souls.(EC)
3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves(ED) to your own husbands(EE) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over(EF) without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(EG) 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self,(EH) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.(EI) 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God(EJ) used to adorn themselves.(EK) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.(EL) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7 Husbands,(EM) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(EN) be sympathetic, love one another,(EO) be compassionate and humble.(EP) 9 Do not repay evil with evil(EQ) or insult with insult.(ER) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(ES) because to this(ET) you were called(EU) so that you may inherit a blessing.(EV) 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[j](EW)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(EX) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(EY) “Do not fear their threats[k]; do not be frightened.”[l](EZ) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(FA) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(FB) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(FC) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(FD) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(FE) to suffer for doing good(FF) than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once(FG) for sins,(FH) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.(FI) He was put to death in the body(FJ) but made alive in the Spirit.(FK) 19 After being made alive,[m] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits(FL)— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently(FM) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.(FN) In it only a few people, eight in all,(FO) were saved(FP) through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you(FQ) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience(FR) toward God.[n] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(FS) 22 who has gone into heaven(FT) and is at God’s right hand(FU)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.(FV)
Living for God
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,(FW) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.(FX) 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(FY) but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past(FZ) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(GA) 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(GB) 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.(GC) 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead,(GD) so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7 The end of all things is near.(GE) Therefore be alert and of sober mind(GF) so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply,(GG) because love covers over a multitude of sins.(GH) 9 Offer hospitality(GI) to one another without grumbling.(GJ) 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,(GK) as faithful(GL) stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.(GM) If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,(GN) so that in all things God may be praised(GO) through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.(GP)
Suffering for Being a Christian
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you(GQ) to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice(GR) inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ,(GS) so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.(GT) 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ,(GU) you are blessed,(GV) for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.(GW) 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household;(GX) and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?(GY) 18 And,
“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[o](GZ)
19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will(HA) should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
To the Elders and the Flock
5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder(HB) and a witness(HC) of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:(HD) 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock(HE) that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;(HF) not pursuing dishonest gain,(HG) but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over(HH) those entrusted to you, but being examples(HI) to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd(HJ) appears, you will receive the crown of glory(HK) that will never fade away.(HL)
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves(HM) to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility(HN) toward one another, because,
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.(HP) 7 Cast all your anxiety on him(HQ) because he cares for you.(HR)
8 Be alert and of sober mind.(HS) Your enemy the devil prowls around(HT) like a roaring lion(HU) looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him,(HV) standing firm in the faith,(HW) because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.(HX)
10 And the God of all grace, who called you(HY) to his eternal glory(HZ) in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,(IA) will himself restore you and make you strong,(IB) firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.(IC)
Final Greetings
12 With the help of Silas,[q](ID) whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly,(IE) encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.(IF)
13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.(IG) 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.(IH)
Peace(II) to all of you who are in Christ.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2
- 1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
- 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
- 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
- 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
- 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
- 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
- 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
- 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)
- 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
- 1 Peter 3:14 Or fear what they fear
- 1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12
- 1 Peter 3:19 Or but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also
- 1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience
- 1 Peter 4:18 Prov. 11:31 (see Septuagint)
- 1 Peter 5:5 Prov. 3:34
- 1 Peter 5:12 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
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