Greeting

1Peter,a an apostle of Jesus Christ:

To the temporary residentsb dispersedc, d in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, •Asia, and Bithynia,e chosenf 2according to the foreknowledgeg of God the Father and set apart by the Spirith for obediencei and for sprinkling with the bloodj of Jesus Christ.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A Living Hope

3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.k According to His great mercy,l He has given us a new birthm into a living hopen through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deado 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable,p uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heavenq for you. 5You are being protected by God’s powerr through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.s 6You rejoice in this,t though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trialsu 7so that the genuineness of your faithv — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by firew — may resultx iny praise, glory, and honorz at the revelation of Jesus Christ.aa 8You love Him,ab though you have not seenac Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoicead with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9because you are receiving the goal of yourae faith, the salvation of your souls.af

10Concerning this salvation, the prophetsag who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11They inquired into what time or what circumstancesah the Spirit of Christai within them was indicating when He testified in advanceaj to the messianic sufferingsak, al and the gloriesam that would follow.an 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to youao by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.ap Angels desire to look into these things.

A Call to Holy Living

13Therefore, with your minds ready for action,aq, ar be seriousas and set your hopeat completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelationau of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children,av do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15But as the One who called youaw is holy,ax you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.ay, az

17And if you address as Father the One who judges impartiallyba based on each one’s work,bb you are to conduct yourselves in fearbc during the time of your temporary residence. 18For you know that you were •redeemed from your empty way of lifebd inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold,be 19but with the precious blood of Christ,bf like that of a lambbg without defect or blemish. 20He was chosenbh, bi before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the timesbj for you 21who through Him are believers in God,bk who raised Him from the deadbl and gave Him glory,bm so that your faith and hope are in God.

22By obedience to the truth,bn having purified yourselvesbo for sincere love of the •brothers, love one anotherbp earnestlybq from a purebr heart,bs 23since you have been born againbt — not of perishable seedbu but of imperishable — through the living and enduring word of God.bv 24For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glorybw like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

25but the word of the Lord endures forever.bx, by

And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.