Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

1 Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, to [the] sojourners of [the] dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

² elect according to [the] foreknowledge of God [the] Father, by sanctification of [the] Spirit, unto [the] obedience and sprinkling of [the] blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

³ Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his great mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ from among [the] dead,

⁴ to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance, reserved in [the] heavens for you,

⁵ who are kept guarded by [the] power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in [the] last time.

⁶ Wherein ye exult, for a little while at present, if needed, put to grief by various trials,

⁷ that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire, be found to praise and glory and honour in [the] revelation of Jesus Christ:

⁸ whom, having not seen, ye love; on whom [though] not now looking, but believing, ye exult with joy unspeakable and filled with [the] glory,

⁹ receiving the end of your faith, [the] salvation of [your] souls.

¹⁰ Concerning which salvation prophets, who have prophesied of the grace towards you, sought out and searched out;

¹¹ searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which [was] in them pointed out, testifying before of the sufferings which [belonged] to Christ, and the glories after these.

¹² To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves but to you they ministered those things, which have now been announced to you by those who have declared to you the glad tidings by [the] Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, which angels desire to look into.

¹³ Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, [be] sober [and] hope with perfect stedfastness in the grace [which will be] brought to you at [the] revelation of Jesus Christ;

¹⁴ as children of obedience, not conformed to [your] former lusts in your ignorance;

¹⁵ but as he who has called you is holy, be ye also holy in all [your] conversation;

¹⁶ because it is written, Be ye holy, for *I* am holy.

¹⁷ And if ye invoke as Father him who, without regard of persons, judges according to the work of each, pass your time of sojourn in fear,

¹⁸ knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible [things, as] silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from [your] fathers,

¹⁹ but by precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, [the blood] of Christ,

²⁰ foreknown indeed before [the] foundation of [the] world, but who has been manifested at the end of times for your sakes,

²¹ who by him do believe on God, who has raised him from among [the] dead and given him glory, that your faith and hope should be in God.

²² Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another out of a pure heart fervently;

²³ being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by [the] living and abiding word of God.

²⁴ Because all flesh [is] as grass, and all its glory as [the] flower of grass. The grass has withered and [its] flower has fallen;

²⁵ but the word of [the] Lord abides for eternity. But this is the word which in the glad tidings [is] preached to you.

2 Laying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings,

² as newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation,

³ if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord [is] good.

⁴ To whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious,

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

⁶ Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.

⁷ To you therefore who believe [is] the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of [the] corner,

⁸ and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; [who] stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed.

⁹ But *ye* [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light;

¹⁰ who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy.

¹¹ Beloved, I exhort [you], as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹² having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through [your] good works, [themselves] witnessing [them], glorify God in [the] day of visitation.

¹³ Be in subjection [therefore] to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to [the] king as supreme,

¹⁴ or to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well.

¹⁵ Because so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men;

¹⁶ as free, and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice, but as God's bondmen.

¹⁷ Shew honour to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king.

¹⁸ Servants, [be] subject with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the ill-tempered.

¹⁹ For this [is] acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly.

²⁰ For what glory [is it], if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear [it]? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear [it], this is acceptable with God.

²¹ For to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps:

²² who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;

²³ who, [when] reviled, reviled not again; [when] suffering, threatened not; but gave [himself] over into the hands of him who judges righteously;

²⁴ who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed.

²⁵ For ye were going astray as sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

3 Likewise, wives, [be] subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without [the] word by the conversation of the wives,

² having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear;

³ whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel;

⁴ but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.

⁵ For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands;

⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation.

⁷ [Ye] husbands likewise, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, as with a weaker, [even] the female, vessel, giving [them] honour, as also fellow-heirs of [the] grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.