1 Peter 1

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.