1Peter


1:1   Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,   To God's elect, strangers in the
world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 
1:2  who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ
and sprinkling by his blood:   Grace and peace be yours in abundance.  
1:3   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great
mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead, 
1:4  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in
heaven for you, 
1:5  who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 
1:6  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have
had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 
1:7  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which
perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result
in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 
1:8  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not
see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and
glorious joy, 
1:9  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your
souls. 
1:10   Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that
was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 
1:11  trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of
Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and
the glories that would follow. 
1:12  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,
when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have
preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels
long to look into these things. 
1:13   Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set
your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 
1:14  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when
you lived in ignorance. 
1:15  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 
1:16  for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." {[16] Lev. 11:44,45;
19:2; 20:7} 
1:17   Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially,
live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 
1:18  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you
from your forefathers, 
1:19  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or
defect. 
1:20  He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in
these last times for your sake. 
1:21  Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and
glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 
1:22   Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that
you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the
heart. {[22] Some early manuscripts <from a pure heart>} 
1:23  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 
1:24  For, 
          "All men are like grass, 
          and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; 
          the grass withers and the flowers fall, 
1:25      but the word of the Lord stands 
          forever." {[25] Isaiah 40:6-8} And this is the word that was
preached to you. 

2:1   Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, and slander of every kind. 
2:2  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may
grow up in your salvation, 
2:3  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 
2:4   As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by
God and precious to him-- 
2:5  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to
be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ. 
2:6  For in Scripture it says: 
          "See, I lay a stone in Zion, 
          a chosen and precious cornerstone, 
          and the one who trusts in him 
          will never be put to shame." {[6] Isaiah 28:16} 
2:7  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not
believe, 
          "The stone the builders rejected 
          has become the capstone, {[7] Or <cornerstone>}" {[7] Psalm
118:22} 
2:8  and, 
          "A stone that causes men to stumble 
          and a rock that makes them fall." {[8] Isaiah 8:14} They stumble
because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.

2:9   But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 
2:10  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once
you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
2:11   Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to
abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 
2:12  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of
doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he
visits us. 
2:13   Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted
among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 
2:14  or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and
to commend those who do right. 
2:15  For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the
ignorant talk of foolish men. 
2:16  Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;
live as servants of God. 
2:17  Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers,
fear God, honor the king. 
2:18   Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only
to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 
2:19  For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust
suffering because he is conscious of God. 
2:20  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong
and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is
commendable before God. 
2:21  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you
an example, that you should follow in his steps. 
2:22      "He committed no sin, 
          and no deceit was found in his mouth." {[22] Isaiah 53:9} 
2:23  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he
suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who
judges justly. 
2:24  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die
to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 
2:25  For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 

3:1   Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any
of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the
behavior of their wives, 
3:2  when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 
3:3  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided
hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 
3:4  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a
gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 
3:5  For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in
God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own
husbands, 
3:6  like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her
daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 
3:7   Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives,
and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of
the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 
3:8   Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic,
love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 
3:9  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing,
because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 
3:10  For, 
          "Whoever would love life 
          and see good days 
          must keep his tongue from evil 
          and his lips from deceitful speech. 
3:11      He must turn from evil and do good; 
          he must seek peace and pursue it. 
3:12      For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous 
          and his ears are attentive to their prayer, 
          but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." {[12]
Psalm 34:12-16} 
3:13   Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 
3:14  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do
not fear what they fear {[14] Or <not fear their threats>}; do not be
frightened." {[14] Isaiah 8:12} 
3:15  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to
give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 
3:16  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously
against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 
3:17  It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for
doing evil. 
3:18  For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made
alive by the Spirit, 
3:19  through whom {[18,19] Or <alive in the spirit, [19] through which>}
also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 
3:20  who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah
while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were
saved through water, 
3:21  and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the
removal of dirt from the body but the pledge {[21] Or <response>} of a good
conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 
3:22  who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels,
authorities and powers in submission to him. 

4:1   Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with
the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

4:2  As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil
human desires, but rather for the will of God. 
4:3  For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to
do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and
detestable idolatry. 
4:4  They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same
flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 
4:5  But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the
living and the dead. 
4:6  For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are
now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the
body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. 
4:7   The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and
self-controlled so that you can pray. 
4:8  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude
of sins. 
4:9  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 
4:10  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 
4:11  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of
God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so
that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the
glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 
4:12   Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are
suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 
4:13  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that
you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 
4:14  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 
4:15  If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other
kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 
4:16  However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise
God that you bear that name. 
4:17  For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it
begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the
gospel of God? 
4:18  And, 
          "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, 
          what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" {[18] Prov.
11:31} 
4:19   So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit
themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 

5:1   To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of
Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

5:2  Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as
overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants
you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 
5:3  not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the
flock. 
5:4  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of
glory that will never fade away. 
5:5   Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All
of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 
          "God opposes the proud 
          but gives grace to the humble." {[5] Prov. 3:34} 
5:6  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift
you up in due time. 
5:7  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 
5:8   Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like
a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 
5:9  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 
5:10   And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in
Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and
make you strong, firm and steadfast. 
5:11  To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.  
5:12   With the help of Silas, {[12] Greek <Silvanus>, a variant of <Silas>}
whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly,
encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand
fast in it. 
5:13   She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her
greetings, and so does my son Mark. 
5:14  Greet one another with a kiss of love.  Peace to all of you who are in
Christ. 
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