1From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
the elect
who are outsiders
belonging to
the Diaspora of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,
2elect according to
the foreknowledge of God
the father, in sanctification of
the spirit, in obedience and sprinkling of
the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you, and may peace be plentiful.
3Blessed
be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy bore us again into a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead,
4into an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance reserved in
the heavens for you,
5who
are guarded by
the power of God through faith, for a salvation
which is ready to be revealed in
the latter time.
6And in this
inheritance you rejoice,
although for a short
time now, if it is necessary, you grieve with various trials,
7in order that the tested character of your faith might be found
to be much more precious than gold which perishes, even if tested by fire, for praise and honour and for glory at
the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8whom, although you do not know
him, you love, in whom, although you do not see
him now, you believe and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
9as
you acquire the goal of your faith,
the salvation of
your beings,
10a salvation about which
the prophets – who prophesied about grace
destined for you – inquired and investigated,
11investigating at what time and under what circumstances the spirit of Christ in them was indicating, as it testified beforehand of the sufferings
destined for Christ, and the glories after that.
12And to these
prophets it was revealed that they were ministering not to themselves, but to you,
the things which have now been announced to you through those
who preached the gospel to you by
the holy spirit,
which was sent from heaven,
things into which angels desire to look.
13Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and put hope absolutely in the grace which
is being brought to you by revelation of Jesus Christ,
14as obedient children, not being conformed to the former desires
you had in your ignorance,
15but
just as he
who called you
is holy, so you yourselves be holy in every
aspect of behaviour.
16For it stands written:
“Be holy, for I am holy.”
17And if you call on
the father, who judges impartially according to each
person's work, then conduct yourselves with fear in the time of your stay
here,
18knowing that you were not redeemed by perishable
things, silver or gold, from your vain comportment
as handed down from the fathers,
19but by precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot – of Christ –
20who was appointed beforehand before
the overthrow of
the world, but in the latter times made manifest on your account,
21you
who through him believe in God, who raised him from
the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope should be in God.
22Now that you have purified your inner selves by obedience to the truth through
the spirit
leading to unfeigned brotherly love, love each other intensely from a pure heart,
23having been begotten again, not from perishable seed, but from imperishable, through
the living word of God,
which also remains throughout the age.
24For
All flesh is as grass,
And all glory of man is like a herbaceous flower.
The grass dries up,
And its flower withers,
25But the word of the Lord
Remains throughout the age.
And this is the word which
has been preached to you.
Reference(s) in Chapter 1: v.2 ↔ Daniel 3:31MT (Daniel 4:1AV), Daniel 6:26MT (Daniel 6:25AV) ● v.16 ↔ Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 11:45, Leviticus 19:2 ● v.24 ↔ Isaiah 40:6, Isaiah 40:7, Isaiah 40:8 ● v.25 ↔ Isaiah 40:8.