1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.10Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.24For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:25But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
1 Peter 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (Jas 1:1)2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (Da 4:1; Ac 2:23; Ro 8:29; Ro 11:2; 1Th 4:3; Heb 10:22; Heb 12:24; 2Pe 1:2; Jud 1:2)
Born Again to a Living Hope
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1Co 15:20; 2Co 1:3; Eph 1:3; Tit 3:5; 1Pe 1:23; 1Pe 3:21)4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (Ro 8:17; Col 1:5; 2Ti 4:8; 1Pe 5:4)5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (Ro 8:18; 2Co 4:17; Eph 2:8; Heb 12:11; 1Pe 5:10)6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, (Jas 1:2; 1Pe 4:12)7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Job 23:10; Ps 66:10; Pr 17:3; Isa 48:10; Ro 2:7; Ro 2:10; 1Co 3:13; 1Co 4:5; 2Th 1:7; Jas 1:3)8Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, (Joh 20:29; Heb 11:27; 1Jo 4:20)9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (Ro 6:22)10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, (Da 8:15; Mt 13:17; Lu 10:24; 2Pe 1:19)11inquiring what person or time[1] the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (Isa 52:13; Da 9:24; Mt 26:24; Lu 24:26; Ac 3:18; Ac 16:7; Ro 8:9; 2Pe 1:21)12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (Da 8:13; Da 12:4; Da 12:5; Da 12:9; Da 12:13; Mt 13:17; Ac 2:2; Eph 3:10; Heb 11:39)
Called to Be Holy
13Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[2] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Lu 12:35; 1Th 5:6; 1Th 5:8; 2Ti 4:5; 1Pe 4:7; 1Pe 5:8)14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, (Ac 17:30; Ro 12:2; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 4:2)15but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (2Co 7:1; 1Th 4:7; Heb 12:14; Jas 3:13; 1Jo 3:3)16since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (Le 11:44)17And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, (Ps 62:12; Jer 3:19; Mal 1:6; Mt 6:9; Ro 11:20; 2Co 6:18; 2Co 7:1; Jas 2:1; 1Pe 3:15)18knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, (Ps 49:8; Ps 130:8; 1Co 6:20; Eph 4:17; Tit 2:14; 2Pe 2:1)19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (Ex 12:5; Joh 1:29; Ac 20:28; Heb 9:14)20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you (Ro 16:26; Heb 1:2)21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (Joh 7:39; Joh 12:44; Ac 2:24; Ac 3:13; Ro 10:9; Heb 2:9; 1Pe 3:22)22Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (Ro 12:9; 1Ti 1:5; Heb 13:1)23since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (Joh 1:13; Joh 3:3; Heb 4:12; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:3)24for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, (Isa 40:6; Isa 40:8; Jas 1:10)25but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (Isa 40:9; Mt 24:35)