CHAPTER 1
Peter,
an apostle
of Jesus
Christ,
To the elect,
exiles
of the Dispersion
throughout Pontus,
Galatia,
Cappadocia,
Asia,
and
Bithynia,
chosen by
the foreknowledge
of God
the Father
and sanctified
by
the Spirit
for
obedience
to Jesus
Christ
and
sprinkling
by His blood:
Grace
and
peace
be yours
in abundance.
Blessed be
the
God
and
Father
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ!
By
His
great
mercy
He
has given us new birth
into
a living
hope
through
the resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
from
the dead,
and into
an inheritance that is
imperishable,
undefiled,
and
unfading,
reserved
in
heaven
for
you,
who
through
faith
are protected
by
God’s
power
for
the salvation
that is ready
to be revealed
in
the last
time.
In
this
you greatly rejoice,
though
now
for a little while
you may
have had
to suffer grief
in
various
trials,
so that
the
authenticity
of your
faith—
more precious
than gold,
which
perishes
even though
refined
by
fire—
may result in
praise,
glory,
and
honor
at
the revelation
of Jesus
Christ.
Though you have not seen
Him,
you love Him;
and though you do not see
Him
now,
you believe
in Him
and
rejoice
with an inexpressible
and
glorious
joy,
Concerning
this
salvation,
the prophets
who
foretold
the
grace
that would come
to you
searched
and
investigated carefully,
trying to determine
the time and setting
to which the
Spirit
of Christ
in
them
was pointing
when He predicted
the
sufferings
of
Christ
and
the
glories
to follow.
It was revealed
to them
that
they were not serving
themselves
but
you,
when they foretold the things
now announced
by
those who
preached the gospel
to you
by
the Holy
Spirit
sent
from
heaven.
Even angels
long
to look
into
these things.
Therefore
prepare
your
minds for action.
Be sober-minded.
Set your hope
fully
on
the
grace
to be given
you
at
the revelation
of Jesus
Christ.
Since
you call on
a Father
who
judges
each one’s
work
impartially,
live your lives
in
reverent fear
during
your
temporary stay on earth.
For you know
that
it was not with perishable things
such as silver
or
gold
that you were redeemed
from
the
empty
way of life
you
inherited from your forefathers,
He was known before
the foundation
of the world,
but
was revealed
in
the
last
times
for your sake.
Through
Him
you
believe
in
God,
who
raised Him
from
the dead
and
glorified
Him;
and so
your
faith
and
hope
are
in
God.
Since you have purified
your
souls
by
obedience
to the
truth
so that
you have a genuine love for your brother
love
one another
deeply,
from
a pure
heart.
For you have been born again,
not
of
perishable
seed,
but
of imperishable,
through
the living
and
enduring
word
of God.
For,
“All
flesh is
like
grass,
and
all
its
glory
like
the flowers
of the field;
the
grass
withers
and
the
flowers
fall,