Greeting

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of (A)the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to (B)the foreknowledge of God the Father, (C)in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and (D)for sprinkling with his blood:

May (E)grace and (F)peace be multiplied to you.

Born Again to a Living Hope

(G)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! (H)According to his great mercy, (I)he has caused us to be born again to a living hope (J)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to (K)an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and (L)unfading, (M)kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded (N)through faith for a salvation (O)ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by (P)various trials, so that (Q)the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes (R)though it is tested by (S)fire—may be found to result in (T)praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (U)Though you have not seen him, you love him. (V)Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining (W)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, (X)the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring (Y)what person or time[a] (Z)the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating (AA)when he predicted (AB)the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 (AC)It was revealed to them that (AD)they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you (AE)by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, (AF)things into which angels long to look.

Called to Be Holy

13 Therefore, (AG)preparing your minds for action,[b] and (AH)being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, (AI)do not be conformed to the passions (AJ)of your former ignorance, 15 but (AK)as he who called you is holy, you also be holy (AL)in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, (AM)“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you (AN)call on him as Father who (AO)judges (AP)impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves (AQ)with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you (AR)were ransomed from (AS)the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but (AT)with the precious blood of Christ, like that of (AU)a lamb (AV)without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but (AW)was made manifest (AX)in the last times for the sake of you 21 (AY)who through him are believers in God, (AZ)who raised him from the dead and (BA)gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for (BB)a sincere brotherly love, (BC)love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 (BD)since you have been born again, (BE)not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through (BF)the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

(BG)“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 (BH)but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word (BI)is the good news that was preached to you.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

(BJ)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (BK)Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual (BL)milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have (BM)tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone (BN)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, (BO)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as (BP)a spiritual house, to be (BQ)a holy priesthood, (BR)to offer spiritual sacrifices (BS)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

(BT)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
(BU)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who (BV)believe, but for those who (BW)do not believe,

(BX)“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”[c]

and

(BY)“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, (BZ)as they were destined to do.

But you are (CA)a chosen race, (CB)a royal (CC)priesthood, (CD)a holy nation, (CE)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you (CF)out of darkness into (CG)his marvelous light. 10 (CH)Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you (CI)as sojourners and exiles (CJ)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, (CK)which wage war against your soul. 12 (CL)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, (CM)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on (CN)the day of visitation.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:11 Or what time or circumstances
  2. 1 Peter 1:13 Greek girding up the loins of your mind
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner

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