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A Living Hope

(A)Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as (B)exiles, (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, to the (L)obedience of Jesus Christ and the (M)sprinkling of 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 incorruptible and undefiled and (U)unfading, having been (V)kept 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 grieved by (AD)various [a]trials, so that the [b](AE)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which [c]is perishable, (AF)even though tested by fire, (AG)may be found to result in praise and 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 rejoice with joy inexpressible and [d]full of glory, receiving as (AK)the outcome of your faith the salvation of [e]your souls.

10 (AL)Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who (AM)prophesied of the (AN)grace that would come to you, made careful searches and inquiries, 11 [f]inquiring to know what time or what kind of time (AO)the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He was (AP)predicting 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 declared to you through those who (AQ)proclaimed the gospel to you by (AR)the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which (AS)angels long to [h]look.

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

17 And if you (BF)address as Father the One who (BG)impartially (BH)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves [p](BI)in fear during the time of your (BJ)sojourn, 18 knowing that you were not [q](BK)redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your (BL)futile conduct inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious (BM)blood, as of a (BN)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 He was (BO)foreknown before (BP)the foundation of the world, but (BQ)appeared [r]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)in obedience to the truth (BW)purified your souls for a love of the brothers (BX)without hypocrisy, fervently love one another from [s]the heart, 23 for you have been (BY)born again (BZ)not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring (CA)word of God. 24 For,

(CB)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory 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 [t]proclaimed to you as good news.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:6 Or temptations
  2. 1 Peter 1:7 Or genuineness
  3. 1 Peter 1:7 Lit perishes
  4. 1 Peter 1:8 Lit glorified
  5. 1 Peter 1:9 One early ms omits your
  6. 1 Peter 1:11 Or seeking
  7. 1 Peter 1:11 Lit after these
  8. 1 Peter 1:12 Or gain a clear glimpse
  9. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit gird the loins of your mind
  10. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit be sober
  11. 1 Peter 1:13 Or which is announced
  12. 1 Peter 1:14 Lit children of obedience
  13. 1 Peter 1:14 Or conform yourselves
  14. 1 Peter 1:15 Lit according to
  15. 1 Peter 1:15 Or become
  16. 1 Peter 1:17 Or with reverence
  17. 1 Peter 1:18 Or ransomed
  18. 1 Peter 1:20 Lit at the end of the times
  19. 1 Peter 1:22 Two early mss a clean heart
  20. 1 Peter 1:25 Lit preached as good news to you

Greetings from Peter

This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.[a] God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

May God give you more and more grace and peace.

The Hope of Eternal Life

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad.[b] There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

A Call to Holy Living

13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”[c]

17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.[d] Love each other deeply with all your heart.[e]

23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say,

“People are like grass;
    their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
25     But the word of the Lord remains forever.”[f]

And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were Roman provinces in what is now Turkey.
  2. 1:6 Or So you are truly glad.
  3. 1:16 Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7.
  4. 1:22a Greek must have brotherly love.
  5. 1:22b Some manuscripts read with a pure heart.
  6. 1:24-25 Isa 40:6-8.