Greeting
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ:
To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
A Living Hope
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7so that the proven character of your faith — more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 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 you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
A Call to Holy Living
13Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 17If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers. 18For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. 20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, 23because you have been born again — not of perishable seed but of imperishable — through the living and enduring word of God. 24For
All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25but the word of the Lord endures forever.
And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.