1:1 From Peter, 1 an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing 2 abroad 3 (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, 4 and Bithynia) who are chosen 5 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling 6 with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure! 7
1:3 Blessed be 8 the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1:4 that is, 9 into 10 an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 1:5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1:6 This brings you great joy, 11 although you may have to suffer 12 for a short time in various trials. 1:7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, 13 which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away 14 – and will bring praise 15 and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 16 1:8 You 17 have not seen him, but you love him. You 18 do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice 19 with an indescribable and glorious 20 joy, 1:9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.
1:10 Concerning this salvation, 21 the prophets 22 who predicted the grace that would come to you 23 searched and investigated carefully. 1:11 They probed 24 into what person or time 25 the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ 26 and his subsequent glory. 27 1:12 They were shown 28 that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.
1:13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action 29 by being fully sober, and set your hope 30 completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 31 1:14 Like obedient children, do not comply with 32 the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, 33 1:15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 1:16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.” 34 1:17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here 35 in reverence. 1:18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold, 1:19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 1:20 He was foreknown 36 before the foundation of the world but 37 was manifested in these last times 38 for your sake. 1:21 Through him you now trust 39 in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
1:22 You have purified 40 your souls by obeying the truth 41 in order to show sincere mutual love. 42 So 43 love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 44 1:23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 1:24 For
all flesh 45 is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of the grass; 46
the grass withers and the flower falls off,
1:25 but the word of the Lord 47 endures forever. 48
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
2:1 So get rid of 49 all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2:2 And 50 yearn 51 like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, 52 so that by it you may grow up to 53 salvation, 54 2:3 if you have experienced 55 the Lord’s kindness. 56
2:4 So as you come to him, 57 a living stone rejected by men but 58 chosen and priceless 59 in God’s sight, 2:5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer 60 spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 2:6 For it says 61 in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, 62 and whoever believes 63 in him 64 will never 65 be put to shame.” 66 2:7 So you who believe see 67 his value, 68 but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the 69 cornerstone, 70 2:8 and a stumbling-stone 71 and a rock to trip over. 72 They stumble 73 because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 74 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues 75 of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 2:10 You 76 once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, 77 but now you have received mercy.
2:11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 2:12 and maintain good conduct 78 among the non-Christians, 79 so that though 80 they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. 81
2:13 Be subject to every human institution 82 for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 2:14 or to governors as those he commissions 83 to punish wrongdoers and praise 84 those who do good. 2:15 For God wants you 85 to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 2:16 Live 86 as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. 87 2:17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, 88 fear God, honor the king.
2:18 Slaves, 89 be subject 90 to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse. 2:19 For this finds God’s favor, 91 if because of conscience toward God 92 someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly. 2:20 For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. 93 2:21 For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. 2:22 He 94 committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. 95 2:23 When he was maligned, he 96 did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened 97 no retaliation, 98 but committed himself to God 99 who judges justly. 2:24 He 100 himself bore our sins 101 in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning 102 and live for righteousness. By his 103 wounds 104 you were healed. 105 2:25 For you were going astray like sheep 106 but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.