1 PETRUS 1
1 Van Petrus, 'n apostel van Jesus Christus. Aan die uitverkorenes van God, vreemdelinge in die wêreld, wat verspreid woon in die provinsies Pontus, Galasië, Kappadosië, Asië en Bitinië.
2 Soos God die Vader dit vooraf bestem het, het Hy julle uitverkies en deur die Gees afgesonder om aan Hom gehoorsaam te wees en besprinkel te word met die bloed van Jesus Christus.
Mag daar vir julle genade en vrede in oorvloed wees!
Die lewende hoop en die egte geloof
3 Aan God, die Vader van ons Here Jesus Christus, kom al die lof toe! In sy groot ontferming het Hy ons die nuwe lewe geskenk deur die opstanding van Jesus Christus uit die dood. Nou het ons 'n lewende hoop 4 op die onverganklike, onbesmette en onverwelklike erfenis wat in die hemel ook vir julle in bewaring gehou word. 5 En omdat julle glo, word ook julle deur die krag van God veilig bewaar vir die saligheid wat reeds gereed is om aan die einde van die tyd geopenbaar te word. 6 Verheug julle hieroor, selfs al is dit nodig dat julle 'n kort tydjie bedroef gemaak word deur allerhande beproewings 7 sodat die egtheid van julle geloof getoets kan word. Julle geloof is baie kosbaarder as goud, goud wat vergaan. Selfs die suiwerheid van goud word met vuur getoets, en die egtheid van julle geloof moet ook getoets word, sodat dit lof en heerlikheid en eer waardig mag wees by die wederkoms van Jesus Christus. 8-9 Hom het julle lief, al het julle Hom nie gesien nie. Deur in Hom te glo, al sien julle Hom nou nie, het julle reeds deel aan die saligheid wat die einddoel van julle geloof is. En dit vervul julle met 'n onuitspreeklike en heerlike blydskap.
Die verlossing reeds deur die profete aangekondig
10 In verband met hierdie saligheid het die profete, wat die genade verkondig het wat vir julle bestem is, deeglik en noukeurig ondersoek ingestel. 11 Die Gees van Christus wat in hulle was, het vooruit verkondig dat Christus moet ly en daarna verheerlik sal word, en hulle het probeer naspeur wat die tyd en die omstandighede sou wees wat die Gees bedoel het. 12 Aan hulle is geopenbaar dat wat hulle geprofeteer het, nie vir hulleself bedoel was nie, maar vir julle. Nou het dié wat die evangelie aan julle verkondig het, dit aan julle bekend gemaak deur die Heilige Gees wat van die hemel af gestuur is. Dit is dinge waarin selfs engele begerig is om insig te kry.
Oproep om heilig te lewe
13 Wees daarom verstandelik wakker en nugter, en vestig julle hoop volkome op die genade wat julle deel sal word by die wederkoms van Jesus Christus. 14 As gehoorsame kinders moet julle nie julle lewe inrig volgens die begeertes wat julle vroeër gehad het toe julle God nie geken het nie. 15 Nee, soos Hy wat julle geroep het, heilig is, moet julle ook in julle hele lewenswandel heilig wees. 16 Daar staan immers geskrywe: “Wees heilig, want Ek is heilig.”t
Losgekoop met die kosbare bloed van Christus
17 Aangesien julle Hom as Vader aanroep wat oor elke mens onpartydig volgens sy dade oordeel, lewe dan in eerbied vir Hom gedurende die tyd van julle vreemdelingskap in die wêreld. 18 Julle weet tog dat julle nie met verganklike middele soos silwer of goud losgekoop is uit julle oorgeërfde sinlose bestaan nie. 19 Inteendeel, julle is losgekoop met die kosbare bloed van Christus, die Lam wat vlekloos en sonder liggaamsgebrek is. 20 Reeds voor die skepping van die wêreld is Hy hiervoor bestem, maar ter wille van julle het Hy eers in hierdie eindtyd gekom. 21 Deur Hom glo julle in God wat Hom uit die dood opgewek en aan Hom heerlikheid gegee het. Daarom is julle geloof en hoop op God gerig.
Weergebore deur die lewende en ewige woord van God
22 Noudat julle julle in gehoorsaamheid aan die waarheid gereinig het om mekaar as broers ongeveins lief te hê, moet julle mekaar dan ook van harte en vurig liefhê. 23 Julle is immers weergebore, nie uit verganklike saad nie, maar uit onverganklike saad: die lewende en ewige woord van God. 24 Die Skrif sê: “Die mens is soos gras, en al sy prag soos 'n veldblom; die gras verdor en die blom val af,
25 maar die woord van die Here, dít bly vir ewig.”t En hierdie woord is die evangelie wat aan julle verkondig is.
1 Peter 1
1 PETER, AN apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ, [writing] to the elect exiles of the dispersion scattered (sowed) abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,2 Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].3 Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4 [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,5 Who are being guarded (garrisoned) by God’s power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.6 [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations,7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.8 Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.9 [At the same time] you receive the result (outcome, consummation) of your faith, the salvation of your souls.10 The prophets, who prophesied of the grace (divine blessing) which was intended for you, searched and inquired earnestly about this salvation.11 They sought [to find out] to whom or when this was to come which the Spirit of Christ working within them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow [them].12 It was then disclosed to them that the services they were rendering were not meant for themselves and their period of time, but for you. [It is these very] things which have now already been made known plainly to you by those who preached the good news (the Gospel) to you by the [same] Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things [the very] angels long to look!13 So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.14 [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.16 For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 17 And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].18 You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,19 But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.20 It is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.21 Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.22 Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [ Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.23 You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.24 For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,25 But the Word of the Lord (divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you.