1 Peter 1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,^a

To God’s elect,^b exiles^c scattered^d throughout the provinces of Pontus,^e Galatia,^f Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,^g who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge^h of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,ⁱ to be obedient^j to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:^k

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.^l

Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!^a In his great mercy^b he has given us new birth^c into a living hope^d through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^e and into an inheritance^f that can never perish, spoil or fade.^g This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^h who through faith are shielded by God’s powerⁱ until the coming of the salvation^j that is ready to be revealed^k in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice,^l though now for a little while^m you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.ⁿ These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^o—may be proved genuine^p and may result in praise, glory and honor^q when Jesus Christ is revealed.^r Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him^s and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.^t

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke^u of the grace that was to come to you,^v searched intently and with the greatest care,^w trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ^x in them was pointing when he predicted^y the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,^z when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you^a by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.^b Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober,^a set your hope^b on the grace to be brought to you^c when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.^d As obedient^e children, do not conform^f to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.^g But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;^h for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”ⁱ

Since you call on a Father^j who judges each person’s work^k impartially,^l live out your time as foreigners^m here in reverent fear.ⁿ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed^o from the empty way of life^p handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood^q of Christ, a lamb^r without blemish or defect.^s He was chosen before the creation of the world,^t but was revealed in these last times^u for your sake. Through him you believe in God,^v who raised him from the dead^w and glorified him,^x and so your faith and hope^y are in God.

Now that you have purified^z yourselves by obeying^a the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,^b from the heart. For you have been born again,^c not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,^d through the living and enduring word of God.^e For,

“All people are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of the Lord endures forever.”^f

And this is the word that was preached to you.