The Lord’s Covenant With Abram

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram^(A) in a vision:^(B)

² But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,^(F) what can you give me since I remain childless^(G) and the one who will inherit^[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?^(H)” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant^(I) in my household^(J) will be my heir.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.^(K)” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars^(L)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[d] be.”^(M)

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.^(N)

⁷ He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out^(O) of Ur of the Chaldeans^(P) to give you this land to take possession of it.”^(Q)

⁸ But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,^(R) how can I know^(S) that I will gain possession of it?”^(T)

⁹ So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer,^(U) a goat and a ram, each three years old,^(V) along with a dove and a young pigeon.^(W)”

¹⁰ Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other;^(X) the birds, however, he did not cut in half.^{(Y) 11} Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses,^(Z) but Abram drove them away.

¹² As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep,^(AA) and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. ¹³ Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years^(AB) your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved^(AC) and mistreated there. ¹⁴ But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out^(AD) with great possessions.^{(AE) 15} You, however, will go to your ancestors^(AF) in peace and be buried at a good old age.^{(AG) 16} In the fourth generation^(AH) your descendants will come back here,^(AI) for the sin of the Amorites^(AJ) has not yet reached its full measure.”

¹⁷ When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch^(AK) appeared and passed between the pieces.^{(AL) 18} On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram^(AM) and said, “To your descendants I give this land,^(AN) from the Wadi^[e] of Egypt^(AO) to the great river, the Euphrates^(AP)— ¹⁹ the land of the Kenites,^(AQ) Kenizzites, Kadmonites, ²⁰ Hittites,^(AR) Perizzites,^(AS) Rephaites,^{(AT) 21} Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”^(AU)

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,

And this is the word that was preached to you.