Book of Common Prayer

1 I am Peter. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ. I send this letter to God's chosen people. You are like people on a journey. You live in the countries of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. But you do not belong there.

² God the Father chose you as he planned to do long ago. You were made holy by the Spirit. You were chosen to obey Jesus Christ and to be made clean by the blood of his death. May you have much blessing and peace.

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He was very kind to us, and made us his children. So we have a new hope. This hope is a living hope because Jesus Christ was raised from death.

⁴ Because we are God's children, one day we shall receive special blessings. They cannot be spoiled in any way, and they will last for ever. They are kept safe in heaven for you.

⁵ You are saved by God's power because you believe. You will then be fully saved. The way is ready and you will see it when the end of time comes.

⁶ This makes you very glad, even though now maybe you are sad because you have troubles of many kinds. They are only for a short time.

⁷ To believe is worth more than to have gold. Gold can spoil, but it is tested by fire to show that it is good. So troubles test you to prove that you believe. Then, because you really believe, you will be praised and made great and have honour when Jesus Christ comes again.

⁸ You love him even though you have not seen him. You trust him even though you do not see him. And so you are very happy. No words can tell how happy you are. Your joy is very great.

⁹ God will reward you because you have believed. You will then be fully saved.

¹⁰ The prophets of God long ago told about this way of being saved. They tried to find out about it and asked much about it. They spoke words from God telling about the blessing God would give you.

¹¹ The Spirit of Christ in them showed them that Christ would have troubles and after that he would be great. They tried to find out when these things would happen or how things would be when they did happen.

¹² The Spirit showed them that they told these things not for themselves, but for you. And now the men who told you the good news have told you these same things. They spoke by the power of the Holy Spirit who was sent from heaven. Even the angels wanted very much to know about these things.

14 Jesus said, `Do not let anything trouble your heart. You believe in God and you must believe in me also.

² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to make a place ready for you.

³ If I go to make a place ready for you, I will come again. I will come to take you so that you may be with me.

⁴ You know where I am going, and you know the way.

⁵ Thomas said to Jesus, `Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?'

⁶ Jesus said to him, `I am the way. I am the truth. I give life. No one can come to my Father unless I take him there.

⁷ If you knew me, you would have known my Father also. But from now on you do know him because you have seen him.'

⁸ Philip said to him, `Lord, show us the Father, then we will be happy.'

⁹ Jesus said to him, `Philip, you mean to say that I have been with you all this time and yet you do not know me? The person who has seen me has seen my Father also. Why do you say, "Show us your Father"?

¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in my Father and my Father is in me? The things that I say, I speak not from my own mind. But my Father lives in me and he does the work.

¹¹ I tell you that I am in my Father and my Father is in me. But you do not believe me. So then let the work that I do prove it to you.

¹² `I tell you the truth. The person who believes in me will do the big work that I do. And he will do even bigger work because I go to my Father.

¹³ I will do anything you ask of my Father in my name. In that way the Son will make my Father's name great.

¹⁴ If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.'

¹⁵ `If you love me, you will obey me.

¹⁶ I will ask my Father. He will give you another one to help you and to be with you always.

¹⁷ He will send you the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive the true Spirit because it does not see or know him. You know him because he is with you and will be in you.