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,

[born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

Who, by the power of God are kept, through faith, for that salvation, which will be seen at the last day.

in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials,

that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire, be found to praise and glory and honour in the revelation of Jesus Christ:

Him you love, though your eyes have never looked on Him. In Him, though at present you cannot see Him, you nevertheless trust, and triumph with a joy which is unspeakable and is crowned with glory,

Of which salvation the prophets enquired and searched diligently,

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired 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, having girded up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope with perfect stedfastness in the grace which will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

And, since you delight in obedience, do not shape your lives by the cravings which used to dominate you in the time of your ignorance,

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

And if so be that ye call on the father, which without respect of person judgeth according to every man's works, see that ye pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear:

knowing, as you do, that it was not with a ransom of perishable wealth, such as silver or gold, that you were set free from your frivolous habits of life which had been handed down to you from your forefathers,

which was ordained before the world was made: but was declared in the last times for your sakes.

Which, by his means, have believed on God that raised him from death, and glorified him, that your faith and hope might be in God.

[Since] you have purified your souls by [your] obedience to the truth [i.e., the Gospel message], which produces a genuine love for your brothers, [now] you should have this kind of fervent, heartfelt love for one another.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

For all forms of flesh are similar to grass, and all the splendor of [a person's] flesh is like the flower [which blossoms] from the grass. [But as with] grass, [a person's flesh] withers, and its flower [i.e., his splendor] falls off.

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;

Come to Him [the risen Lord] as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God.

You, as living stones, are being made into a house of the spirit, a holy order of priests, making those offerings of the spirit which are pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

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.

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.

Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done.

After all, what kind of credit is there if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you endure it patiently? But if when you do what is right and patiently bear [undeserved] suffering, this finds favor with God.

That is the life to which you have been called, for Christ himself suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow his footsteps.

which did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth:

which when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously,

which his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we should be delivered from sin and should live in righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed.

Likewise, let the wives be in subjection to their husbands, that even they which believe not the word, may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives:

when they see your modest and respectful behavior [together with your devotion and appreciation—love your husband, encourage him, and enjoy him as a blessing from God].

whose adorning -- let it not be that which is outward, of plaiting of hair, and of putting around of things of gold, or of putting on of garments,

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 did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves, and were obedient to their husbands,

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

but in your hearts consecrate Christ as Lord, being always ready to make your defence to any one who asks from you a reason for the hope which you cherish.

having a good conscience, that as to that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ.

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.

which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

which is our righthand of God, and is gone into heaven: angels, power, and might subdued unto him.

Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he which suffereth in the flesh ceaseth from sin,

For you have given time enough in the past to the doing of the things which the Gentiles delight in-- pursuing, as you did, a course of habitual licence, debauchery, hard drinking, noisy revelry, drunkenness and unholy image-worship.

in which they think it strange -- your not running with them to the same excess of dissoluteness, speaking evil,

which shall give accounts to him that is ready to judge quick and dead.

Whatever be the gifts which each has received, you must use them for one another's benefit, as good stewards of God's many-sided kindness.

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 be glad in the degree in which you share in the sufferings of Christ; so that when his glory shall be revealed, you too may be glad with triumphant gladness.

I need hardly say that no one among you must suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or for interfering in matters which do not concern Christians.

but if anyone suffers [ill-treatment] as a Christian [because of his belief], he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God [because he is considered worthy to suffer] in this name.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. If it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them which believe not the gospel of God?

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;

and chief Shepherd having appeared, you shall receive a crown of glory which will never fade away.

Whom resist, stedfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which is in the world.

The God of all grace - which called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus - shall his own self, after ye have suffered a little affliction, make you perfect: shall settle, strengthen, and establish you.

By Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I suppose, I have written to you briefly; exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which ye stand.

Greet ye one another with the kiss of love. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Jesus. Amen. {Here ends the First General Epistle of Peter}