1 Peter: Chapter 1
1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones
who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be
sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4. to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance
that doesn't fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
5. who by the power of God are guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a
little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,
7. that the proof of your faith, which is more
precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found
to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--
8. whom not having known you love; in whom, though
now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable
and full of glory--
9. receiving the result of your faith, the salvation
of your souls.
10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and
searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11. searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit
of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of
Christ, and the glories that would follow them.
12. To them it was revealed, that not to themselves,
but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out
from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
13. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, {literally, "gird up the waist of your mind"}
be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ--
14. as children of obedience, not conforming
yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
15. but just as he who called you is holy, you
yourselves also be holy in all of your behaviour;
16. because it is written, "You shall be holy;
for I am holy." {Leviticus 11:44-45}
17. If you call on him as Father, who without respect
of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your living as
foreigners here in reverent fear:
18. knowing that you were redeemed, not with
corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down
from your fathers,
19. but with precious blood, as of a faultless and
pure lamb, the blood of Christ;
20. who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of
the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,
21. who through him are believers in God, who raised
him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in
God.
22. Seeing you have purified your souls in your
obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love
one another from the heart fervently:
23. having been born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
24. For, "All flesh is like grass, and all of
man's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower
falls;
25. but the Lord's word endures forever." {Isaiah 40:6-8} This is the word of Good News which
was preached to you.