1st Peter

8
Though you have not seen him, you
love him; and even though you do not
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To see him now, you believe in him and are
filled with an inexpressible and glorious
God's elect, strangers in the world, joy,
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 9
for you are receiving the goal of your
2 faith, the salvation of your souls.
who have been chosen according to
the foreknowledge of God the Father, 10
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, Concerning this salvation, the
for obedience to Jesus Christ and prophets, who spoke of the grace that
sprinkling by his blood: Grace and was to come to you, searched intently
peace be yours in abundance. and with the greatest care,

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Praise be to the God and Father of our trying to find out the time and
Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he circumstances to which the Spirit of
has given us new birth into a living hope Christ in them was pointing when he
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ predicted the sufferings of Christ and
from the dead, the glories that would follow.

12
4
and into an inheritance that can never It was revealed to them that they were
perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for not serving themselves but you, when
you, they spoke of the things that have now
been told you by those who have
5 preached the gospel to you by the Holy
who through faith are shielded by God's Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels
power until the coming of the salvation long to look into these things.
that is ready to be revealed in the last
time. 13
Therefore, prepare your minds for
6 action; be self-controlled; set your hope
In this you greatly rejoice, though now fully on the grace to be given you when
for a little while you may have had to Jesus Christ is revealed.
suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
14
7 As obedient children, do not conform
These have come so that your faith--of to the evil desires you had when you
greater worth than gold, which perishes lived in ignorance.
even though refined by fire--may be
proved genuine and may result in praise, 15
glory and honor when Jesus Christ is But just as he who called you is holy,
revealed. so be holy in all you do;
16
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am
holy." 2Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice
17
and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and
Since you call on a Father who judges slander of every kind.
each man's work impartially, live your
lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 2
Like newborn babies, crave pure
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spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow
For you know that it was not with up in your salvation,
perishable things such as silver or gold
that you were redeemed from the empty 3
now that you have tasted that the Lord
way of life handed down to you from is good.
your forefathers,
4
19 As you come to him, the living Stone--
but with the precious blood of Christ, a rejected by men but chosen by God and
lamb without blemish or defect. precious to him--
20
He was chosen before the creation of 5
you also, like living stones, are being
the world, but was revealed in these last built into a spiritual house to be a holy
times for your sake. priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices
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acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Through him you believe in God, who
raised him from the dead and glorified 6
For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a
him, and so your faith and hope are in stone in Zion, a chosen and precious
God. cornerstone, and the one who trusts in
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him will never be put to shame."
Now that you have purified yourselves
by obeying the truth so that you have 7
Now to you who believe, this stone is
sincere love for your brothers, love one precious. But to those who do not
another deeply, from the heart. believe, "The stone the builders rejected
23
has become the capstone, "
For you have been born again, not of
perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring word of Note NIV 2011 version uses
God. cornerstone instead of capstone for
verse 7
24
For, "All men are like grass, and all
their glory is like the flowers of the field; 7
Now to you who believe, this stone
the grass withers and the flowers fall, is precious. But to those who do not
25 believe, "The stone the builders
but the word of the Lord stands
forever." And this is the word that was
rejected has become the
preached to you. cornerstone,"
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and, "A stone that causes men to Live as free men, but do not use your
stumble and a rock that makes them freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as
fall." They stumble because they servants of God.
disobey the message--which is also
what they were destined for. 17
Show proper respect to everyone:
Love the brotherhood of believers, fear
9
But you are a chosen people, a royal God, honor the king.
priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare 18
Slaves, submit yourselves to your
the praises of him who called you out of masters with all respect, not only to
darkness into his wonderful light. those who are good and considerate,
but also to those who are harsh.
10
Once you were not a people, but now
you are the people of God; once you 19
For it is commendable if a man bears
had not received mercy, but now you up under the pain of unjust suffering
have received mercy. because he is conscious of God.
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Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and But how is it to your credit if you
strangers in the world, to abstain from receive a beating for doing wrong and
sinful desires, which war against your endure it? But if you suffer for doing
soul. good and you endure it, this is
commendable before God.
12
Live such good lives among the
pagans that, though they accuse you of 21
To this you were called, because
doing wrong, they may see your good Christ suffered for you, leaving you an
deeds and glorify God on the day he example, that you should follow in his
visits us. steps.
13
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake 22
"He committed no sin, and no deceit
to every authority instituted among men: was found in his mouth."
whether to the king, as the supreme
authority, 23
When they hurled their insults at him,
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he did not retaliate; when he suffered,
or to governors, who are sent by him he made no threats. Instead, he
to punish those who do wrong and to entrusted himself to him who judges
commend those who do right. justly.
15
For it is God's will that by doing good 24
He himself bore our sins in his body on
you should silence the ignorant talk of the tree, so that we might die to sins and
foolish men. live for righteousness; by his wounds
you have been healed.
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For you were like sheep going astray, Finally, all of you, live in harmony with
but now you have returned to the one another; be sympathetic, love as
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. brothers, be compassionate and humble.

9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with
3Wives, in the same way be insult, but with blessing, because to this
you were called so that you may inherit
submissive to your husbands so that, if
any of them do not believe the word, a blessing.
they may be won over without words by 10
the behavior of their wives, For, "Whoever would love life and see
good days must keep his tongue from
2
when they see the purity and reverence evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
of your lives. 11
He must turn from evil and do good;
3
Your beauty should not come from he must seek peace and pursue it.
outward adornment, such as braided 12
hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and For the eyes of the Lord are on the
fine clothes. righteous and his ears are attentive to
their prayer, but the face of the Lord is
4
Instead, it should be that of your inner against those who do evil."
self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and 13
quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Who is going to harm you if you are
God's sight. eager to do good?

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For this is the way the holy women of But even if you should suffer for what
the past who put their hope in God used is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear
to make themselves beautiful. They what they fear ; do not be frightened."
were submissive to their own husbands,
15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as
6 Lord. Always be prepared to give an
like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and
called him her master. You are her answer to everyone who asks you to
daughters if you do what is right and do give the reason for the hope that you
not give way to fear. have. But do this with gentleness and
respect,
7
Husbands, in the same way be 16
considerate as you live with your wives, keeping a clear conscience, so that
and treat them with respect as the those who speak maliciously against
weaker partner and as heirs with you of your good behavior in Christ may be
the gracious gift of life, so that nothing ashamed of their slander.
will hinder your prayers.
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It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer
for doing good than for doing evil.
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For Christ died for sins once for all, the But they will have to give account to
righteous for the unrighteous, to bring him who is ready to judge the living and
you to God. He was put to death in the the dead.
body but made alive by the Spirit,
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For this is the reason the gospel was
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through whom also he went and preached even to those who are now
preached to the spirits in prison dead, so that they might be judged
according to men in regard to the body,
20
who disobeyed long ago when God but live according to God in regard to
waited patiently in the days of Noah the spirit.
while the ark was being built. In it only a
7
few people, eight in all, were saved The end of all things is near. Therefore
through water, be clear minded and self-controlled so
that you can pray.
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and this water symbolizes baptism that
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now saves you also--not the removal of Above all, love each other deeply,
dirt from the body but the pledge of a because love covers over a multitude of
good conscience toward God. It saves sins.
you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
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Offer hospitality to one another without
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who has gone into heaven and is at grumbling.
God's right hand--with angels,
authorities and powers in submission to 10
Each one should use whatever gift he
him. has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various
forms.
4Therefore, since Christ suffered in his 11
body, arm yourselves also with the If anyone speaks, he should do it as
same attitude, because he who has one speaking the very words of God. If
suffered in his body is done with sin. anyone serves, he should do it with the
strength God provides, so that in all
2
As a result, he does not live the rest of things God may be praised through
his earthly life for evil human desires, Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and
but rather for the will of God. the power for ever and ever. Amen.

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For you have spent enough time in the Dear friends, do not be surprised at
past doing what pagans choose to do-- the painful trial you are suffering, as
living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, though something strange were
orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. happening to you.

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They think it strange that you do not But rejoice that you participate in the
plunge with them into the same flood of sufferings of Christ, so that you may be
dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
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If you are insulted because of the And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
name of Christ, you are blessed, for the you will receive the crown of glory that
Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. will never fade away.

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If you suffer, it should not be as a Young men, in the same way be
murderer or thief or any other kind of submissive to those who are older. All of
criminal, or even as a meddler. you, clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another, because, "God
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However, if you suffer as a Christian, opposes the proud but gives grace to
do not be ashamed, but praise God that the humble."
you bear that name.
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Humble yourselves, therefore, under
17 God's mighty hand, that he may lift you
For it is time for judgment to begin with
the family of God; and if it begins with us, up in due time.
what will the outcome be for those who
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do not obey the gospel of God? Cast all your anxiety on him because
he cares for you.
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And, "If it is hard for the righteous to
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be saved, what will become of the Be self-controlled and alert. Your
ungodly and the sinner?" enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to
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So then, those who suffer according to devour.
God's will should commit themselves to
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their faithful Creator and continue to do Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
good. because you know that your brothers
throughout the world are undergoing the
same kind of sufferings.
5To the elders among you, I appeal as 10
And the God of all grace, who called
a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's
sufferings and one who also will share in you to his eternal glory in Christ, after
the glory to be revealed: you have suffered a little while, will
himself restore you and make you
2 strong, firm and steadfast.
Be shepherds of God's flock that is
under your care, serving as overseers-- 11
not because you must, but because you To him be the power for ever and ever.
are willing, as God wants you to be; not Amen.
greedy for money, but eager to serve; 12
With the help of Silas, whom I regard
3
not lording it over those entrusted to as a faithful brother, I have written to
you, but being examples to the flock. you briefly, encouraging you and
testifying that this is the true grace of
God. Stand fast in it.
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She who is in Babylon, chosen Greet one another with a kiss of love.
together with you, sends you her Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
greetings, and so does my son Mark.