1 Peter 1–2

GREETING

1Peter,^a an apostle of Jesus Christ:

To those chosen, living as exiles^b dispersed^c abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,^d chosen^{e 2}according to the foreknowledge^f of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,^g to be obedient^h and to be sprinkled with the bloodⁱ of Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A LIVING HOPE

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.^j Because of his great mercy^k he has given us new birth^l into a living hope^m through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead^{n 4}and into an inheritance that is imperishable,^o undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven^p for you. ⁵You are being guarded by God’s power^q through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.^{r 6}You rejoice in this,^A even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials^{s 7}so that the proven character of your faith^t—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire^u—may result^v in praise, glory, and honor^w at the revelation of Jesus Christ.^{x 8}Though you have not seen^y him, you love him;^z though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice^aa with inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets,^ab who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. ¹¹They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ^ac within them was indicating when he testified in advance^ad to the sufferings of Christ^ae and the glories^af that would follow.^{B 12}It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you^ag by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven^ah—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

A CALL TO HOLY LIVING

¹³Therefore, with your minds ready for action,^ai be sober-minded^aj and set your hope^ak completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation^al of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴As obedient children,^am do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. ¹⁵But as the one who called you^an is holy,^ao you also are to be holy in all your conduct; ¹⁶for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.^{Cap 17}If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially^aq according to each one’s work,^ar you are to conduct yourselves in reverence^as during your time living as strangers. ¹⁸For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life^at inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,^{au 19}but with the precious blood of Christ,^av like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.^{aw 20}He was foreknown^ax before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times^ay for you. ²¹Through him you believe in God,^az who raised him from the dead^ba and gave him glory,^bb so that your faith and hope are in God.

²²Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth,^A so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other,^bc from a pure^B heart love one another constantly,^{Cbd 23}because you have been born again^be—not of perishable seed^bf but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.^{bg 24}For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory^bh like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

²⁵but the word of the Lord endures forever.^Dbi

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.

THE LIVING STONE AND A HOLY PEOPLE

2Therefore, rid yourselves of^a all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.^{b 2}Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,^Ec so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, ³if you have tasted^d that the Lord is good.^{Fe 4}As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by^G God—⁵you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood^H to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God^f through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,^g

a chosen and honored^I cornerstone,^h

and the one who believes in him

will never be put to shame.^Ji

⁷So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected—

this one has become the cornerstone,^Kj

⁸and

A stone to stumble over,

and a rock to trip over.^Lk

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined^l for this.

⁹But you are a chosen race,^MNm a royal priesthood,^On a holy nation,^Po a people for his possession,^Qp so that you may proclaim the praises^RSq of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.^{r 10}Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,^s but now you have received mercy.

A CALL TO GOOD WORKS

¹¹Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles^t to abstain^u from sinful^v desires that wage war against the soul.^{w 12}Conduct^x yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,^A so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.^y

¹³Submit^z to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor^B as the supreme authority^{aa 14}or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. ¹⁵For it is God’s will^ab that you silence the ignorance^ac of foolish people by doing good. ¹⁶Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,^ad but as God’s slaves.^{ae 17}Honor everyone. Love^af the brothers and sisters.^ag Fear God.^ah Honor the emperor.

SUBMISSION OF SLAVES TO MASTERS

¹⁸Household slaves, submit to your masters^ai with all reverence^aj not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.^{ak 19}For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer,^al if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

²¹For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered^am for you, leaving you an example,^an that you should follow^ao in his steps. ²²He did not commit sin,^ap and no deceit^aq was found in his mouth;^{Car 23}when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges^as justly. ²⁴He himself bore our sins^at in his body^au on the tree;^av so that, having died to sins,^aw we might live for righteousness.^ax By his wounds^Day you have been healed. ²⁵For you were like sheep going astray,^Eaz but you have now returned to the Shepherd^ba and Overseer^F of your souls.