1 I, Peter, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am sending this letter to you, God’s chosen people. You are strangers in the world. You are scattered all over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. 2You have been chosen in keeping with what God the Father had planned. That happened through the Spirit’s work to make you pure and holy. God chose you so that you might obey Jesus Christ. He wanted you to be made clean by the blood of Christ.

May more and more grace and peace be given to you.

Peter Praises God for a Hope That Is Alive

3Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a hope that is alive. It is alive because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. 4He has given us new birth so that we might share in what belongs to him. It is a gift that can never be destroyed. It can never spoil or even fade away. It is kept in heaven for you. 5Through faith you are kept safe by God’s power. Your salvation is going to be completed. It is ready to be shown to you in the last days.

6Because you know this, you have great joy. You have joy even though you may have had to suffer for a little while. You may have had to suffer sadness in all kinds of trouble.

7Your troubles have come in order to prove that your faith is real. It is worth more than gold. Gold can pass away even though fire has made it pure. Your faith is meant to bring praise, honor and glory to God. That will happen when Jesus Christ returns.

8Even though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, you believe in him. You are filled with a glorious joy that can’t be put into words. 9You are receiving the salvation of your souls. It is the result of your faith.

10The prophets searched very hard and with great care to find out about that salvation. They spoke about the grace that was going to come to you. 11They wanted to find out when that salvation would come. The Spirit of Christ in them was telling them about the sufferings of Christ that were going to come. He was also telling them about the glory that would follow.

12It was made known to the prophets that they were not serving themselves. Instead, they were serving you when they spoke about the things that you have now heard. Those who have preached the good news to you have told you those things. They have done it with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into those things.

Be Holy

13So prepare your minds for action. Control yourselves. Put your hope completely in the grace that will be given to you when Jesus Christ returns.

14You should obey. You shouldn’t give in to evil longings. They controlled your life when you didn’t know any better. 15The one who chose you is holy. So you should be holy in all that you do. 16It is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44, 45; 19:2)

17You call on a Father who judges each person’s work without favoring one over another. So live your lives as strangers here. Have the highest respect for God.

18The blood of Christ set you free from an empty way of life. That way of life was handed down to you by your own people long ago. You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold. 19Instead, you were bought by the priceless blood of Christ. He is a perfect lamb. He doesn’t have any flaws at all. 20He was chosen before God created the world. But he came into the world in these last days for you.

21Because of what Christ has done, you believe in God. It was God who raised him from the dead. And it was God who gave him glory. So your faith and hope are in God.

22You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. So you have an honest and true love for your brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply, from the heart.

23You have been born again by means of the living word of God. His word lasts forever. You were not born again from a seed that will die. You were born from a seed that can’t die. 24It is written,

“All people are like grass.

All of their glory is like the flowers in the field.

The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground.

25 But the word of the Lord stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6–8)

And that word was preached to you.