Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, you rich^(A) people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten.^{(B) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.^{(C) 4} Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers^(D) who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies.^{(E) 5} You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts^(F) in a day of slaughter.^{(G) 6} You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.^(H)

Waiting for the Lord

⁷ Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.^{(I) 8} You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.^(J)

⁹ Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!^(K)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹ See, we count as blessed those who have endured.^[a] You have heard of Job’s endurance^(L) and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.^(M)

Truthful Speech

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath.^(N) But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.^[b]

Effective Prayer

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.^{(O) 14} Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.^{(P) 15} The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.^{(Q) 16} Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.^{(R) 17} Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.^{(S) 18} Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.^(T)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth,^(U) and someone turns him back,^{(V) 20} let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.^(W)

Greeting

1 Peter,^(A) an apostle of Jesus Christ:

To those chosen, living as exiles^(B) dispersed^(C) abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,^(D) chosen^{(E) 2} according to the foreknowledge^(F) of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,^(G) to be obedient^(H) and to be sprinkled with the blood^(I) of Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(J) Because of his great mercy^(K) he has given us new birth^(L) into a living hope^(M) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead^{(N) 4} and into an inheritance that is imperishable,^(O) undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven^(P) for you. ⁵ You are being guarded by God’s power^(Q) through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.^{(R) 6} You rejoice in this,^[a] even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials^{(S) 7} so that the proven character of your faith^(T)—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire^(U)—may result^(V) in praise, glory, and honor^(W) at the revelation of Jesus Christ.^{(X) 8} Though you have not seen^(Y) him, you love him;^(Z) though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice^(AA) with inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets,^(AB) who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. ¹¹ They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ^(AC) within them was indicating when he testified in advance^(AD) to the sufferings of Christ^(AE) and the glories^(AF) that would follow.^{[b] 12} It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you^(AG) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven^(AH)—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

A Call to Holy Living

¹³ Therefore, with your minds ready for action,^(AI) be sober-minded^(AJ) and set your hope^(AK) completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation^(AL) of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children,^(AM) do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. ¹⁵ But as the one who called you^(AN) is holy,^(AO) you also are to be holy in all your conduct; ¹⁶ for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.^{[c](AP) 17} If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially^(AQ) according to each one’s work,^(AR) you are to conduct yourselves in reverence^(AS) during your time living as strangers. ¹⁸ For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life^(AT) inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,^{(AU) 19} but with the precious blood of Christ,^(AV) like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.^{(AW) 20} He was foreknown^(AX) before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times^(AY) for you. ²¹ Through him you believe in God,^(AZ) who raised him from the dead^(BA) and gave him glory,^(BB) so that your faith and hope are in God.

²² Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth,^[d] so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other,^(BC) from a pure^[e] heart love one another constantly,^{[f](BD) 23} because you have been born again^(BE)—not of perishable seed^(BF) but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.^{(BG) 24} For

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.