彼得前書 1

問候

1 耶穌基督的使徒彼得寫信給那些被揀選，分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞細亞、庇推尼寄居的人， 2 就是照父上帝的預知，藉著聖靈得以成聖，以致順服耶穌基督，又蒙他血所灑的人。願恩惠、平安t多多地賜給你們！

活的盼望

3 願頌讚歸於我們主耶穌基督的父上帝！他曾照自己的大憐憫，藉著耶穌基督從死人中復活，重生了我們，使我們有活的盼望， 4 好得到不朽壞、不玷污、不衰殘、為你們存留在天上的基業， 5 就是為你們這些藉著信、蒙上帝大能保守的人，能獲得他所預備、到末世要顯現的救恩。 6 雖然你們必須在百般試煉中暫時憂愁，你們要為此喜樂 t， 7 使你們的信心既被考驗，就比那被火試煉仍然能壞的金子更顯寶貴，可以在耶穌基督顯現的時候得著稱讚、榮耀、尊貴。 8 雖然你們沒有見過他，卻是愛他；如今雖看不見，你們卻因信他而有說不出來、滿有榮光的喜樂， 9 因為你們t得到信心的效果，就是靈魂的得救。

10 論到這救恩，那預先說你們要得恩典的眾先知已經詳細地搜索查考過， 11 查考在他們心裏的基督的靈預先證明基督受苦難，後來得榮耀，是指甚麼時候，甚麼樣的情況。 12 他們得了啟示，知道他們所服事的不是自己，而是你們。那藉著從天上差來的聖靈傳福音給你們的人，現在將這些事傳給你們；這些事連天使也都切望察看呢！

應當過聖潔的生活

13 所以，要準備t好你們的心，謹慎自守，專心盼望耶穌基督顯現的時候帶給你們的恩惠。 14 作為順服的兒女，就不要效法從前蒙昧無知的時候那放縱私慾的樣子。 15 但那召你們的既是聖潔，你們在一切所行的事上也要聖潔； 16 因為經上記著：「你們要成為聖，因為我是神聖的。」

17 既然你們稱那不偏待人、按各人行為審判人的主為父t，就當存敬畏的心，度你們在世寄居的日子。 18 你們知道，你們得以從你們祖先傳下來虛妄的行為中救贖出來，不是靠著會朽壞的金銀等物， 19 而是憑著基督的寶血，如同無瑕疵、無玷污的羔羊的血。 20 基督是上帝在創世以前所預知，而在這末世才為你們顯現的。 21 你們也因著他而信那使他從死人中復活、又給他榮耀的上帝，好讓你們的信心和盼望都在於上帝。

22 既然你們因順從真理而潔淨了自己的心靈，能真誠愛弟兄，就該以清潔的心t彼此切實相愛。 23 你們蒙了重生，不是由於會朽壞的種子，而是由於不會朽壞的種子，是藉著上帝永活常存的道。 24 因為 「凡血肉之軀的盡都如草， 他的一切榮美像草上的花； 草必枯乾，花必凋謝，

25 惟有主的道永遠常存。」 這話就是傳給你們的福音。

1 PETER 1

1 From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
To God's people who are scattered like foreigners in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

2 God the Father decided to choose you as his people, and his Spirit has made you holy. You have obeyed Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with his blood.t
I pray that God will be kind to you and will keep on giving you peace!

A Real Reason for Hope

3 Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.

4 t God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.
5 You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day.t Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do. 6 On that day you will be glad, even if you have to go through many hard trials for a while.

7 t Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns.
8 You have never seen Jesus, and you don't see him now. But still you love him and have faith in him, and no words can tell how glad and happy

9 you are to be saved. This is why you have faith.
10 Some prophets told how God would treat you with undeserved grace, and they searched hard to find out more about the way you would be saved. 11 The Spirit of Christ was in them and was telling them how Christ would suffer and would then be given great honor. So they searched to find out exactly who Christ would be and when this would happen.

12 But they were told that they were serving you and not themselves. They preached to you by the power of the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven. And their message was only for you, even though angels would like to know more about it.

Chosen To Live //a Holy Life

13 Be alert and think straight. Put all your hope in how God will treat you with undeserved grace when Jesus Christ appears. 14 Behave like obedient children. Don't let your lives be controlled by your desires, as they used to be. 15 Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy.

16 t That's why the Scriptures say, “I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.”
17 You say that God is your Father, but God doesn't have favorites! He judges all people by what they do. So you must honor God while you live as strangers here on earth. 18 You were rescuedt from the useless way of life you learned from your ancestors. But you know you were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that don't last forever. 19 t You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb. 20 Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days.

21 And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. This is why you have put your faith and hope in God.
22 You obeyed the truth, t and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. 23 Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever.

24 t The Scriptures say,
“Humans wither like grass,
and their glory fades
like wild flowers.
Grass dries up,
and flowers fall
to the ground.

25 But what the Lord has said
will stand forever.”
Our good news to you is what the Lord has said.