1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of a the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to b the foreknowledge of God the Father, c in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and d for sprinkling with his blood:
May e grace and f peace be multiplied to you.
3 g Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! h According to his great mercy, i he has caused us to be born again to a living hope j through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to k an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and l unfading, m kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded n through faith for a salvation o ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by p various trials, 7 so that q the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes r though it is tested by s fire—may be found to result in t praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 u Though you have not seen him, you love him. v Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining w the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, x the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring y what person or time z the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating a when he predicted b the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 c It was revealed to them that d 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 e by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, f things into which angels long to look.
13 Therefore, g preparing your minds for action, [1] and h being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, i do not be conformed to the passions j of your former ignorance, 15 but k as he who called you is holy, you also be holy l in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, m “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you n call on him as Father who o judges p impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves q with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you r were ransomed from s the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but t with the precious blood of Christ, like that of u a lamb v without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but w was made manifest x in the last times for the sake of you 21 y who through him are believers in God, z who raised him from the dead and a gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for b a sincere brotherly love, c love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 d since you have been born again, e not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through f the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
g “All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 h but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word i is the good news that was preached to you.
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