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, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to
his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible,
and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be,
ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with
fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see
him not, yet believing, ye 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 unto you: Searching what, or what
manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it
testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did
minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have
preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;
which things the angels desire to look into. Wherefore gird up the loins of
your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as
he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father,
who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass
the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily
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 ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure
heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all
flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass
withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord
endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto
you.
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies,
and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To
whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen
of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a
chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is
made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,
even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also
they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time
past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among
the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by
your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it
be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by
him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of
maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters
with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this
is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently,
this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey
not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of
the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in
the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves,
being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham,
calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not
afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according
to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as
being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as
brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for
railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that
ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let
him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him
eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of
the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but
the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But
and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of
their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason
of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience;
that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will
of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also
hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which
also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah,
while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven,
and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being
made subject unto him.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves
likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath
ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh
to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may
suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable
idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same
excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is
ready to judge the quick and the dead. For, for this cause was the gospel
preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to
men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto
prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for
charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another
without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the
same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any
man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do
it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as
though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye
are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye
may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on
their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of
you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in
other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that
judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall
the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore
let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their
souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a
witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall
be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the
flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the
faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his
eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you
perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly,
exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so
doth Marcus my son. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be
with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.