The Text of the First Epistle of St. Peter online

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The Online Text of

The First Epistle of

ST. PETER

Chapter 1

1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; may grace and peace be multiplied to you.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to the greatness of his mercy has given us second birth, into the hope of salvation, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1:4 into an inheritance that is incorruptible, unimpaired, and unfailing, reserved in heaven for you,

1:5 who are being guarded by the power of God, through faith, for the salvation made ready to be revealed in the end time,

1:6 in which you exult, though you still have distress for a little while if necessary in various trials,

1:7 which happen so that the testing of your faith, much more valuable than gold which perishes, but is tested through fire, may be found out to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed,

1:8 whom you love without having seen; in whom you believe, still having not looked upon; yet you exult with a joy that is indescribable and full of glory,

1:9 obtaining for yourselves the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls.

1:10 About which salvation the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was coming to your benefit, sought out and researched,

1:11 trying to find out exactly which time or what kind of time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating, when he testified beforehand to the sufferings of Christ and these glorious things that come after.

1:12 It was shown to them it was not for themselves but for you they were being stewards of these things, which have now been announced to you through those who evangelized you in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Which things the angels wish they could look into.

1:13 Therefore, girding up the loins of your mind, be perfectly sober, and place your hope on the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1:14 Like obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the longings you had in your former ignorance,

1:15 but rather, in accordance with the holy one who called you, you must become holy as well, in all your conduct,

1:16 because it is written: "You shall be holy, because I am holy."

1:17 And if you invoke as Father him who without respect to faces judges the work of each person, spend this time of your sojourning in fear,

1:18 knowing it was not with corruptible things, silver or gold, that you were redeemed from the futile way of life passed on to you from your ancestors,

1:19 but rather with blood very dear, as of a lamb without blemish or defect, the blood of Christ,

1:20 foreknown before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the latter of times for your sakes,

1:21 who by way of him are believers in God, the one who has raised him from the dead and given him glory. So your faith and hope are in God.

1:22 Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth toward brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1:23 having been regenerated, not by corruptible seed but by incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God;

1:24 because all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass dries up, and its flower falls off,

1:25 but the word of the Lord abides for ever. And this is the word that was announced to you.

Chapter 2

2:1 Putting away therefore all malice, and all guile and pretenses, and envies and all slanders,

2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure spiritual milk, so you may grow by it to salvation,

2:3 since you have tasted that the Lord indeed is good.

2:4 To whom approaching, a living stone, by humans on the one hand rejected, on the other hand chosen by God as precious,

2:5 you yourselves also as living stones are being built as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ;

2:6 because it is contained in scripture: "Behold I lay in Zion a chosen precious corner foundation stone, and the person believing on it will by no means be disappointed."

2:7 To you therefore who believe, value, but to those not believing, it is a stone the builders rejected. This one turns out to be for the head of the corner,

2:8 yet also a stone of stumbling, and a rock of downfall for those who stumble at the word by disobeying, to which in fact they were appointed.

2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a treasured possession, so you may proclaim the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

2:10 who before were not a people, but now are a people of God; ones who were not pitied, but now are pitied.

2:11 Beloved, I exhort you: as sojourners and aliens, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

2:12 having your conduct good among the gentiles, in order that while they denounce you as evil-doers, by observing your good works they may glorify God in the day of visitation.

2:13 Submit to every human authority for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as he is highly placed,

2:14 or to governors; as they are the Lord’s agent for vengeance on evil-doers and praise of well-doers;

2:15 because so is the will of God: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people;

2:16 as free, yet not having the freedom for a pretext for wrongdoing, but for being servants of God.

2:17 Honor all persons, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

2:18 House servants, submit yourselves in all fear to your masters, not only to good and forbearing ones but also to the harsh.

2:19 For this gains favor if because of consciousness of God anyone bears up under griefs they are suffering unjustly.

2:20 For what glory is it if when sinning and buffeted for it you endure? But if when doing good and suffering for it you endure, this gains favor with God.

2:21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered, on your behalf, leaving for you an example that you should follow in his steps;

2:22 he who did no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth;

2:23 who when being insulted, did not insult in return; who when suffering mistreatment made no threat, but committed himself over to him who judges righteously;

2:24 who himself in his body carried our sins up onto a tree, in order that by dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose bruise you have been healed.

2:25 For you were like sheep wandering astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Chapter 3

3:1 In the same sense wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, in order that even if any of them disobeys the word, they will be gained without a word by the conduct of their wives,

3:2 when they see your pure conduct, mixed with reverence for them.

3:3 Whose adornment let it not be the outward, of the plaiting of hair, wearing of gold ornaments, or decoration of putting on clothing,

3:4 but rather of the hidden person of the heart, adorned with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which adornment in the eyes of God is very high priced.

3:5 For indeed that is historically how holy women hoping in God have adorned themselves, submitting to their own husbands;

3:6 like how Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Master. Whose daughters you have become, doing good, and not fearing any terror.

3:7 Likewise husbands, dwelling together according to knowledge: as to a more delicate vessel, assigning to the woman a special care, and as co-heirs of the gracious privilege of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

3:8 Finally, everyone, be all of one mind, sympathetic, loving the brethren, compassionate, humble-minded,

3:9 not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but instead blessing, because to this you were called, so you might inherit blessing.

3:10 For "He who wants to love life and see good days must restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, to speak no guile;

3:11 and he must turn aside from evil, and do good, and seek peace, and pursue it.

3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their petition; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

3:13 And who is going to harm you if you become devotees of good?

3:14 But, if you do suffer indeed because of righteousness, you become blessed ones. And do not fear their intimidations, or be troubled.

3:15 Instead, dedicate in your hearts Christ as Lord, always prepared for a speech in response to anyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you;

3:16 only with humility and respect, having a good conscience, in order that while you are spoken against, the ones abusing you may be shamed by your good conduct in Christ.

3:17 For it is better to suffer while doing good, if the will of God wills, than while doing evil.

3:18 Because indeed Christ died once for sins, the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

3:19 in which also he preached, when he went to the spirits that were in prison,

3:20 to people who disobeyed long ago when the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah while an ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

3:21 Which is a shadow of the baptism that saves us now also, not the removing of dirt off the flesh, but the response toward God of a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers made subordinate to him.

Chapter 4

4:1 Therefore Christ having suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves of the same mind, that someone who has suffered in the flesh is finished with sin,

4:2 to the result that, the time he still has left in the flesh he lives not for human desires any longer, but rather for the will of God.

4:3 For enough is the time lost away for you to have carried out the goal of the Gentiles, having gone on in promiscuity, lusts, debaucheries, carousals, drinking bouts, and serving idols.

4:4 In which since you are not joining them running in the same excess of indulgence, they think it strange, denigrating you.

4:5 They will have to give an explanation to the one that is about to judge the living and the dead.

4:6 It is for that reason as well the gospel is preached to the dead. On the one hand so they might be judged according to humans in the flesh; on the other hand in the hope they might live according to God in the Spirit.

4:7 Now the end of all things has drawn near. Be soberminded therefore, and be sober for prayers.

4:8 Above all else have fervent love between each another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

4:10 According to how each person has received a gift, minister it to each other as good stewards of the manifold grace of God:

4:11 if anyone speaks, as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, as by the power that God supplies; such that in everything God will be glorified, through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial happening with you to test you, as if it is an odd co-incidence,

4:13 but rather rejoice; inasmuch as you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ in order that you may also rejoice in the revelation of his glory, exulting.

4:14 If you are reproached because of the name of Christ, blessed are you. That means the glory and the Spirit of God rests upon you!

4:15 Certainly none of you should be suffering as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer, or as a pryer into other people's affairs;

4:16 but if it is for being a Christian, let him not be downcast, but praise God because of this.

4:17 Because the time has come for judgment to begin, starting with the household of God. And if firstly with us, what will be the fate of those disobeying the gospel of God?

4:18 And if the righteous person is barely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

4:19 So then those suffering according to the will of God should commit their souls over to a faithful creator, all the while doing good.

Chapter 5

5:1 I, being a co-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a sharer also of the glory about to be revealed, the elders among you therefore I exhort:

5:2 shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not from compulsion, but voluntarily for God, not out of greed for money, but out of amateur zeal;

5:3 not as exercising lordship over your charges, but being examples for the flock.

5:4 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

5:5 Likewise, young people, submit yourselves to the older people. And everyone, tie on the apron of humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.

5:6 Be humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, so he may exalt you in his time,

5:7 casting every worry of yours onto him, because it matters to him about you.

5:8 Be sober, be alert. Your adversary, the devil, is like a lion walking about, seeking someone to devour;

5:9 whom you resist firmly in the faith, knowing that the same kind of suffering is being imposed upon your brethren in the world.

5:10 But the God of all grace, who called you into his eternal glory in Christ, he himself when you suffer a little will adjust you, confirm, strengthen, found you.

5:11 The power is with him for ever. Amen.

5:12 It was by way of Silvanus, a brother who is faithful by my reckoning, that I have written to you with a few words, exhorting you, and bearing witness that this grace in which you stand is the true grace of God.

5:13 The church of fellow chosen ones in Babylon greets you, and also Mark my son.

5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of “agape” love. Peace be unto you, all who are in Christ.

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