A Greeting from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1–2)

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, in 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 be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy, begat us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading; kept in Heaven for you, 5who are being guarded by God's power, through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time; 6in which ye exult, though now, for a little while, if necessary, made sorrowful in manifold temptations; 7that the proving of your faith?being much more precious than gold that perishes, but is proved through fire?may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8Whom, not having seen, ye love; on Whom, though now not seeing Him, yet believing, ye exult with joy unspeakable and full of glory; 9receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of souls;

10concerning which salvation the prophets earnestly sought and diligently searched, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you; 11searching as to what time or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ Who was in them was pointing to, when testifying beforehand the sufferings destined for Christ, and the subsequent glories; 12to whom it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering them; which things now were reported to you through those who proclaimed the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from Heaven; into which things angels desire to look carefully.

A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)

13Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly for the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance; 15but, according as He Who called you is holy, do ye yourselves become holy in all your conduct; 16because it has been written, "Ye shall be holy, because I am Holy."

17And, if ye call on Him as Father, Who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to each one's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear; 18knowing that, not with perishable things, with silver or gold, were ye redeemed from your vain course of life handed down from your fathers; 19but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; 20foreknown, indeed, from a founding of a world, but manifested in the end of the times for you, 21who through Him believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

The Enduring Word

22Having purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned brotherly love, love one another from the heart earnestly; 23having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God, that lives and abides.

24Because "All flesh is as grass, and all its glory as the flower of grass: the grass withered, and the flower fell off; but the word of the Lord abides forever."

25And this is the word of the good news which was proclaimed to you.