Beginning

1 Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, To the strangers who dwell here and there throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia;

² Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, for sanctification of the Spirit through obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

³ Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who, according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ,

⁴ to an immortal and undefiled inheritance which does not wither, reserved in Heaven for us

⁵ who are kept for salvation through faith by the power of God (which is prepared to be revealed in the last time

⁶ and in which you rejoice. Though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through various trials

⁷ so that the trial of your faith—being much more precious than gold, which perishes even though it is tried with fire—might be found to your praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,

⁸ Whom you have not seen and yet love; in Whom now, though you do not see Him, you still believe and rejoice with unspeakable and glorious joy,

⁹ receiving the purpose of your faith: the salvation of your souls).

¹⁰ Of such salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched, prophesying of the grace that would come to you,

¹¹ searching when or at what time the Spirit of Christ (Who testified before) was in them, declaring the sufferings that would come to Christ and the glory that would follow.

¹² To them it was revealed—not to themselves, but to us— that they should minister the things which are shown to you by those who have preached the Gospel by the Holy Ghost, sent down from Heaven. These things the angels desire to behold.

¹³ Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober and trust completely in that grace which is brought to you by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform yourselves to the former lusts of your ignorance.

¹⁵ But as He Who has called you is holy, so you be holy, in all manner of conversation.

¹⁶ Because it is written, “Be holy. For I am holy.”

¹⁷ And if you call him ‘Father’ (Who judges according to the work of each, without respect of persons), pass the time of your dwelling here in fear,

¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things - like silver and gold from your ineffective lifestyle received by the traditions of the Fathers -

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot.

²⁰ He was ordained before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sakes,

²¹ You, through Him, believe in God Who raised Him from the dead and gave Him Glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

²² Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth (through the Spirit) toward brotherly love without hypocrisy, love one another fervently, with a pure heart;

²³ being born anew—not of mortal seed, but of immortal—by the Word of God, Who lives and endures forever.

²⁴ For “all flesh is as grass. And all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls away.

²⁵ “But the Word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the Word which is preached among you.

2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all blasphemy,

² desire the sincere milk of the Word, as newborn babies; so that by it you may grow

³ (if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is bountiful),

⁴ coming to Him as to a living stone, indeed rejected by man but chosen by God and precious.

⁵ You also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood; to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I put a Chief Cornerstone in Zion, elect and precious. And the one who believes in Him shall not be put to shame.”

⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “the Stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the Chief Cornerstone,”

⁸ and, “a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense,” to those who stumble at the Word, being disobedient. To this they were also appointed.

⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are a Possession; so that you would show forth the virtues of the One Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

¹⁰ In the past, you were not a people, yet are now the people of God, who in the past were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹ Dearly beloved, I urge you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.

¹² And have your behavior be honorable among the Gentiles, so that those who speak against you as evil doers may, by your good works which they shall see, glorify God on the Day of visitation.

¹³ Therefore, submit yourselves to every institution of man, for the Lord’s sake; whether it is to the king (as superior),

¹⁴ or to governors (those sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do well).

¹⁵ For such is the will of God: that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;

¹⁶ as free—yet not having freedom be a cloak for evil—but as servants of God.

¹⁷ Honor the whole brotherhood. Love brotherly fellowship. Fear God. Honor the King.

¹⁸ Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and courteous, but also to the crooked.

¹⁹ For this is grace: if anyone - for the sake of conscience toward God - endures grief, suffering wrongly.

²⁰ For what praise is it, if when you are mistreated for your faults, you take it patiently? But if you suffer when you do well, and take it patiently, this is acceptable to God.

²¹ For you are called to this. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you could follow His steps.

²² “He did no sin. Nor was there guile found in His mouth.”

²³ When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed it to Him Who judges righteously.

²⁴ He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, would live in righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.”

²⁵ For you were as sheep, going astray, but now are returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

3 Likewise, let the wives be subject to their husbands, so that even those who do not obey the Word may be won by the behavior of the wives (without word)

² while they observe your upright conduct, which is with fear.

³ Do not let your adornment be outward, braiding your hair or putting on gold or worldly garments.

⁴ But let it be the inner man of the heart - an incorruptible meek and quiet spirit - which is a very valuable thing before God.

⁵ For in the past also, the holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves in this way, and were subject to their husbands,

⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him ‘Lord’. You are her daughters, doing good and not easily fearful.

⁷ Likewise, husbands, dwell with them as men of knowledge, giving honor to the woman - as to the weaker vessel, and as you would to those who are co-heirs of the grace of life - so that your prayers are not interrupted.

⁸ Finally, all of you be of one mind; compassionate, loving as brothers, merciful, friendly,

⁹ not rendering evil for evil, nor rebuke for rebuke. On the contrary, bless. Know that you are called to this so that you could be heirs of blessing.

¹⁰ For “if anyone longs after life (and to see good days), let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

¹¹ “Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.

¹² “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears towards their prayers. And the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

¹³ And who is it that will harm you if you follow that which is good?

¹⁴ But if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And “do not fear their terror, nor be troubled.”

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer - with humility and respect - to everyone who asks you the Reason for the hope that is in you;

¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that when they falsely accuse you as evildoers, those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

¹⁷ For it is better (if it is the will of God) to suffer for doing good rather than evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also has suffered once for sins - the Just for the unjust - so that He might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

¹⁹ by Whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison.

²⁰ They were disobedient in the past, when once more the patience of God awaited in the days of Noah while the Ark was being prepared (in which few - that is, eight - souls were saved in the water).

²¹ This is now represented by baptism, which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an appeal to God, made with a good conscience. This also rescues us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²² Who is at the right hand of God, gone into Heaven, to Whom the angels and powers and might are subject.

4 Therefore, as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

² so that henceforth (as much time as remains in the flesh) he should not live after the lusts of man, but after the will of God.

³ For in the past of our lives, it may have sufficed for us to work after the same desires as the Gentiles: walking in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, in gluttony, carousing, and in abominable idolatries.

⁴ So, it seems strange to them that you do not run with them to the same excess of debauchery, and they speak evil of you.

⁵ They shall give account to Him Who is ready to judge quick and dead.

⁶ For to this purpose was the Gospel also preached to the dead: so that they might be condemned according to man in the flesh but might live according to God in the Spirit.

⁷ Now, the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be of sound mind, and watching in prayer.

⁸ But above all things, have fervent love among you. For love shall cover a multitude of sins.

⁹ Be hospitable one to another, without grumbling.

¹⁰ The same gifts which everyone has received, let us minister to each other as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him speak as the words of God. If anyone ministers, let him do so as with the strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to Whom is praise and dominion, forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Dearly beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is among you (to test you), as though some strange thing had come to you.

¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings! So that when His Glory shall appear, you may be glad and rejoice!

¹⁴ If you are railed upon for the Name of Christ, you are blessed! For the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you (Who on their part is blasphemed, but on your part is glorified).

¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a busybody.

¹⁶ But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. But let him glorify God in this behalf.

¹⁷ For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first begins with us, what shall the end be of those who do not obey the Gospel of God?

¹⁸ “And if the righteous are scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

¹⁹ Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

5 I encourage the elders among you. I am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed.

² Feed the flock of God which depends on you. Care for it - not by compulsion, but voluntarily; not greedily, but eagerly;

³ not as though you were Lords over God’s estate, but that you may be examples to the flock.

⁴ And when that chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive an incorruptible crown of Glory.

⁵ Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to the elders. And everyone submit yourselves one to another. Clothe yourselves inwardly in humility. For “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time.

⁷ Cast all your cares on Him. For He cares for you.

⁸ Be sober, and watch. For your adversary, the devil, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

⁹ Steadfastly resist him in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brothers who are in the world.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace - Who has called us to His eternal Glory by Christ Jesus - will, after you have suffered a little, make you perfect; will confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

¹¹ To Him be glory and dominion, forever and ever. Amen.

¹² By Silvanus (a faithful brother to you, I reckon) I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this in which you stand is the true grace of God.

¹³ She who is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you; and Mark, my son.

¹⁴ Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.