A CALL TO HOLY LIVING

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action,ai be sober-mindedaj and set your hopeak completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelational of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children,am do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called youan is holy,ao you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.D,ap 17 If you appeal to the Father who judges impartiallyaq according to each one’s work,ar you are to conduct yourselves in reverenceas during your time living as strangers. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of lifeat 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 foreknownax before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last timesay for you. 21 Through him you believe in God,az who raised him from the deadba and gave him glory,bb so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth,E so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other,bc from a pureF heart love one another constantly,G,bd 23 because you have been born againbe—not of perishable seedbf but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.bg 24 For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glorybh like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.H,bi

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

THE LIVING STONE AND A HOLY PEOPLE

2 Therefore, rid yourselves ofa all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.b 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,A,c so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tastedd that the Lord is good.C,e