1 Peter Chapter 1
Greeting
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
A living hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,
11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ within them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
A call to a holy life
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be sober-minded; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
23 since you have been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God.
24 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
2 Peter Chapter 2
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The living stone
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
The people of God
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Live as servants of God
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly desires, which wage war against your soul.
12 Live good lives among the Gentiles, so that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good works and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the king, as supreme,
14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
19 For this is commendable, if someone bears up under pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure it? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure it, this is commendable in God’s sight.
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter Chapter 3
Marital duties
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without words by the conduct of their wives,
2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
4 but let it be the inner self, the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
5 For in this way the holy women of the past, who put their hope in God, also adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands,
6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
A good conscience
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
13 And who is there to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. Therefore, do not be afraid of them, nor be troubled,
15 but sanctify God the Lord in your hearts, always being prepared to make a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; but with gentleness and respect.
16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who speak maliciously against your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is God’s will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
19 In the Spirit he went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who formerly were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In it, a few people, eight in all, were saved through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers in subjection to him.
1 Peter Chapter 4
Good stewards of God's grace
1 Since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the flesh is done with sin.
2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly life for human passions, but rather for the will of God.
3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you .
5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, so that though judged in the flesh they live according to human standards, they may live in the spirit according to God.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as Christians
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you,
13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.
15 So then, let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler in other people’s affairs.
16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will commit their souls to their faithful Creator and do good.
1 Peter Chapter 5
Shepherd the flock of God
1 I appeal to the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings, as well as a partaker in the glory to be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God that is under your care, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time,
7 casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brothers throughout the world.
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Final greetings
12 Through Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, admonishing you and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, and my son Mark send you greetings.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.