1 Peter
Summary
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, writes to the "scattered" believers, beginning with a doxology to God for His "abundant mercy" and the "living hope" through the resurrection of Christ. He describes the believers' inheritance as incorruptible and reserved in heaven. Despite meeting various trials, their faith is being refined like gold and will result in praise at Christ's appearing. Peter exhorts the readers to "gird up the loins of your mind" and to be holy in all their conduct, reminding them that they were redeemed not with perishable silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In which you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through various trials:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they did minister the things, which are now reported to you by those who have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as He who has called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conduct;
Because it is written, "Be you holy; for I am holy."
And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every person’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain way of life received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Who 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.
Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brothers, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of people as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away:
But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.