GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:60urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:60Peter , apostle of Jesus Christ , to [ the ] sojourners of [ the ] dispersion of Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia , Asia , and Bithynia , elect according to [ the ] foreknowledge of God [ the ] Father , by sanctification of [ the ] Spirit , unto [ the ] obedience and sprinkling of [ the ] blood of Jesus Christ : Grace to you and peace be multiplied . Blessed [ be ] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , who , according to his great mercy , has begotten us again to a living hope through [ the ] resurrection of Jesus Christ from among [ the ] dead , to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance , reserved in [ the ] heavens for you , who are kept guarded by [ the ] power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in [ the ] last time . Wherein ye exult , for a little while at present , if needed , put to grief by various 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 : whom , having not seen , ye love ; on whom [ though ] not now looking , but believing , ye exult with joy unspeakable and filled with [ the ] glory , receiving the end of your faith , [ the ] salvation of [ your ] souls . Concerning which salvation prophets , who have prophesied of the grace towards you , sought out and searched out ; searching what , or what manner of time , the Spirit of Christ which [ was ] in them pointed out , testifying before of the sufferings which [ belonged ] to Christ , and the glories after these . To whom it was revealed , that not to themselves but to you they ministered those things , which have now been announced to you by those who have declared to you the glad tidings by [ the ] Holy Spirit , sent from heaven , which 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 ; as children of obedience , not conformed to [ your ] former lusts in your ignorance ; but as he who has called you is holy , be ye also holy in all [ your ] conversation ; because it is written , Be ye holy , for * I * am holy . And if ye invoke as Father him who , without regard of persons , judges according to the work of each , pass your time of sojourn in fear , knowing that ye have been redeemed , not by corruptible [ things , as ] silver or gold , from your vain conversation handed down from [ your ] fathers , but by precious blood , as of a lamb without blemish and without spot , [ the blood ] of Christ , foreknown indeed before [ the ] foundation of [ the ] world , but who has been manifested at the end of times for your sakes , who by him do believe on God , who has raised him from among [ the ] dead and given him glory , that your faith and hope should be in God . Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth to unfeigned brotherly love , love one another out of a pure heart fervently ; being born again , not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible , by [ the ] living and abiding word of God . Because all flesh [ is ] as grass , and all its glory as [ the ] flower of grass . The grass has withered and [ its ] flower has fallen ; but the word of [ the ] Lord abides for eternity . But this is the word which in the glad tidings [ is ] preached to you . Laying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings , as newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word , that by it ye may grow up to salvation , if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord [ is ] good . To whom coming , a living stone , cast away indeed as worthless by men , but with God chosen , precious , yourselves also , as living stones , are being built up a spiritual house , a holy priesthood , to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ . Because it is contained in the scripture : Behold , I lay in Zion a corner stone , elect , precious : and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame . To you therefore who believe [ is ] the preciousness ; but to the disobedient , the stone which the builders cast away as worthless , this is become head of [ the ] corner , and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence ; [ who ] stumble at the word , being disobedient to which also they have been appointed . But * ye * [ are ] a chosen race , a kingly priesthood , a holy nation , a people for a possession , that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light ; who once [ were ] not a people , but now God's people ; who were not enjoying mercy , but now have found mercy . Beloved , I exhort [ you ] , as strangers and sojourners , to abstain from fleshly lusts , which war against the soul ; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles , that [ as to that ] in which they speak against you as evildoers , they may through [ your ] good works , [ themselves ] witnessing [ them ] , glorify God in [ the ] day of visitation . Be in subjection [ therefore ] to every human institution for the Lord's sake ; whether to [ the ] king as supreme , or to rulers as sent by him , for vengeance on evildoers , and praise to them that do well . Because so is the will of God , that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men ; as free , and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice , but as God's bondmen . Shew honour to all , love the brotherhood , fear God , honour the king . Servants , [ be ] subject with all fear to your masters , not only to the good and gentle , but also to the ill-tempered . For this [ is ] acceptable , if one , for conscience sake towards God , endure griefs , suffering unjustly . For what glory [ is it ] , if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear [ it ] ? but if , doing good and suffering , ye shall bear [ it ] , this is acceptable with God . For to this have ye been called ; for Christ also has suffered for you , leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps : who did no sin , neither was guile found in his mouth ; who , [ when ] reviled , reviled not again ; [ when ] suffering , threatened not ; but gave [ himself ] over into the hands of him who judges righteously ; who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree , in order that , being dead to sins , we may live to righteousness : by whose stripes ye have been healed . For ye were going astray as sheep , but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls . Likewise , wives , [ be ] subject to your own husbands , that , even if any are disobedient to the word , they may be gained without [ the ] word by the conversation of the wives , having witnessed your pure conversation [ carried out ] in fear ; whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair , and wearing gold , or putting on apparel ; but the hidden man of the heart , in the incorruptible [ ornament ] of a meek and quiet spirit , which in the sight of God is of great price . For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves , being subject to their own husbands ; as Sarah obeyed Abraham , calling him lord ; whose children ye have become , doing good , and not fearing with any kind of consternation . [ Ye ] husbands likewise , dwell with [ them ] according to knowledge , as with a weaker , [ even ] the female , vessel , giving [ them ] honour , as also fellow-heirs of [ the ] grace of life , that your prayers be not hindered . Finally , [ be ] all of one mind , sympathising , full of brotherly love , tender hearted , humble minded ; not rendering evil for evil , or railing for railing ; but on the contrary , blessing [ others ] , because ye have been called to this , that ye should inherit blessing . For he that will love life and see good days , let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile . And let him avoid evil , and do good ; let him seek peace and pursue it ; because [ the ] eyes of [ the ] Lord [ are ] on [ the ] righteous , and his ears towards their supplications ; but [ the ] face of [ the ] Lord [ is ] against them that do evil . And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which [ is ] good ? But if also ye should suffer for righteousness' sake , blessed [ are ye ] ; but be not afraid of their fear , neither be troubled ; but sanctify [ the ] Lord the Christ in your hearts , and [ be ] always prepared to [ give ] an answer [ to ] every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that [ is ] in you , but with meekness and fear ; 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 . For [ it is ] better , if the will of God should will it , to suffer [ as ] well-doers than [ as ] evildoers ; for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins , [ the ] just for [ the ] unjust , that he might bring us to God ; being put to death in flesh , but made alive in [ the ] Spirit , in which also going he preached to the spirits [ which are ] in prison , heretofore disobedient , when the longsuffering of God waited in [ the ] days of Noah while the ark was preparing , into which few , that is , eight souls , were saved through water : which figure also now saves you , [ even ] baptism , not a putting away of [ the ] filth of flesh , but [ the ] demand as before God of a good conscience , by [ the ] resurrection of Jesus Christ , who is at [ the ] right hand of God , gone into heaven , angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him . Christ , then , having suffered for us in [ the ] flesh , do * ye * also arm yourselves with the same mind ; for he that has suffered in [ the ] flesh has done with sin , no longer to live the rest of [ his ] time in [ the ] flesh to men's lusts , but to God's will . For the time past [ is ] sufficient [ for us ] to have wrought the will of the Gentiles , walking in lasciviousness , lusts , wine-drinking , revels , drinkings , and unhallowed idolatries . Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with [ them ] to the same sink of corruption , speaking injuriously [ of you ] ; who shall render account to him who is ready to judge [ the ] living and [ the ] dead . For to this [ end ] were the glad tidings preached to [ the ] dead also , that they might be judged , as regards men , after [ the ] flesh , but live , as regards God , after [ the ] Spirit . But the end of all things is drawn nigh : be sober therefore , and be watchful unto prayers ; but before all things having fervent love among yourselves , because love covers a multitude of sins ; hospitable one to another , without murmuring ; each according as he has received a gift , ministering it to one another , as good stewards of [ the ] various grace of God . If any one speak -- as oracles of God ; if any one minister -- as of strength which God supplies ; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ , to whom is the glory and the might for the ages of ages . Amen . Beloved , take not [ as ] strange the fire [ of persecution ] which has taken place amongst you for [ your ] trial , as if a strange thing was happening to you ; but as ye have share in the sufferings of Christ , rejoice , that in the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exultation . If ye are reproached in [ the ] name of Christ , blessed [ are ye ] ; for the [ Spirit ] of glory and the Spirit of God rests upon you : [ on their part he is blasphemed , but on your part he is glorified . ] Let none of you suffer indeed as murderer , or thief , or evildoer , or as overseer of other people's matters ; but if as a christian , let him not be ashamed , but glorify God in this name . For the time of having the judgment begin from the house of God [ is come ] ; but if first from us , what [ shall be ] the end of those who obey not the glad tidings of God ? And if the righteous is difficultly saved , where shall the impious and [ the ] sinner appear ? Wherefore also let them who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing to a faithful Creator . The elders which [ are ] among you I exhort , who [ am their ] fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of the Christ , who also [ am ] partaker of the glory about to be revealed : shepherd the flock of God which [ is ] among you , exercising oversight , not by necessity , but willingly ; not for base gain , but readily ; not as lording it over your possessions , but being models for the flock . And when the chief shepherd is manifested ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory . Likewise [ ye ] younger , be subject to [ the ] elder , and all of you bind on humility towards one another ; for God sets himself against [ the ] proud , but to [ the ] humble gives grace . Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God , that he may exalt you in [ the due ] time ; having cast all your care upon him , for he cares about you . Be vigilant , watch . Your adversary [ the ] devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour . Whom resist , stedfast in faith , knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which [ is ] in [ the ] world . But the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus , when ye have suffered for a little while , himself shall make perfect , stablish , strengthen , ground : to him [ be ] the glory and the might for the ages of the ages . Amen . 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 . She that is elected with [ you ] in Babylon salutes you , and Marcus my son . Salute one another with a kiss of love . Peace be with you all who [ are ] in Christ .