Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To God's elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:Grace and peace be yours in abundance.Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In 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 can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.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 handed down to you from your ancestors,but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these 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.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.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." And this is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1

Salutation

1 From Peter,t an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residingt abroadt (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia,t and Bithynia) who are chosent

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinklings with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!t

New Birth to Joy and Holiness

3 Blessed bet the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4 that is,t intot an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you,5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6 This brings you great joy,t although you may have to sufferst for a short time in various trials.7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith,ts which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing awayt – and will bring praiset and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.t8 Yout have not seen him, but you love him. Yout do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoicet with an indescribable and glorioust joy,

9 because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation,t the prophetss who predicted the grace that would come to yout searched and investigated carefully.11 They probedt into what person or timets the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christt and his subsequent glory.t

12 They were shownt that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.
13 Therefore, get your minds ready for actiont by being fully sober, and set your hopet completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.t14 Like obedient children, do not comply witht the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,t15 but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”s17 And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence heret in reverence.18 You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold,19 but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.20 He was foreknownt before the foundation of the world butt was manifested in these last timest for your sake.

21 Through him you now trustst in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 You have purifiedt your souls by obeying the truths in order to show sincere mutual love.t Sot love one another earnestly from a pure heart.s23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

24 For
all fleshsis like grass
and all its glory like the flower of the grass;t
the grass withers and the flower falls off,

25 but the word of the Lordsendures forever.s
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.