A Greeting from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1–2)

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect sojourners of the Dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied.

A Living Hope

3Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one having according to his great mercy begotten us again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and never fading, having been kept in the heavens unto you, 5who are preserved by the power of God through faith unto the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In whom you rejoice, if however it is needful, being grieved a little while among manifold temptations: in order 7that the trial of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, however being tried by the fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ: 8whom you not seeing, love with divine love; on whom, not looking, but believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10Concerning which salvation the prophets, who prophesied concerning the grace towards you, sought out and investigated, 11searching into what, or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them, witnessing the sufferings towards Christ, and the glories after these, did show: 12to whom it was revealed, because they were ministering not these things for themselves, but for you, which are now proclaimed unto you by those who preach to you the gospel with the Holy Ghost having been sent from heaven; into which things the angels desire to look down.

A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)

13Therefore having girded up the loins of your minds, being perfectly sober, hope unto the grace which is conferred on you in the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As children of obedience, not being fashioned after your former lusts in ignorance: 15but according to the Holy One who has called you. Be ye also holy in all your deportment; 16because it has been written, Ye shall be holy; because I am holy.

17And if you call upon the Father, the One judging without respect of persons according to the work of each, pass the time of your sojourn with fear, 18knowing that you have been redeemed from your depraved character transmitted from your ancestors, not by corruptible things, silver or gold, 19but by the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and spotless: 20foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but having been made manifest at the last of the times for the sake of you, 21who through him are faithful toward God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope are toward God.

The Enduring Word

22Having purified your souls through obedience of the truth unto unhypocritical, brotherly love, fervently from the heart love one another with divine love: 23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God, who lives and abides.

24Therefore all flesh is as grass, and all its glory as the flower of grass: the grass is withered, and the flower fell off;

25but the word of the Lord abides forever. And this is the word which has been preached unto you.