The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Letter 01
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,† to the
chosen ones who are living as foreigners
in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 according to the foreknowledge of God
the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit,
that you may obey Jesus Christ and be
sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and
peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his
great mercy caused us to be born again to
a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance
that doesn’t fade away, reserved
in Heaven for you,
5 who by the power of God are 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, if need be, you have been
grieved in various trials,
7 that the proof of your faith, which
is more precious than gold that perishes,
even though it is tested by fire, may be
found to result in praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
8 whom, not having known, you love. In
him, though now you don’t see him, yet
believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that
is unspeakable and full of glory,
9 receiving the result of your faith, the
salvation of your souls.
10 Concerning this salvation, the
prophets sought and searched diligently.
They prophesied of the grace that would
come to you,
11 searching for who or what kind of
time the Spirit of Christ which was in them
pointed to when he predicted the sufferings
of Christ and the glories that would
follow them.
12 To them it was revealed that they
served not themselves, but you, in these
things, which now have been announced
to you through those who preached the
Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent
out from heaven; which things angels
desire to look into.
13 Therefore prepare your minds for action.‡
Be sober, and set your hope fully on
the grace that will be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ—
14 as children of obedience, not conforming
yourselves according to your former
lusts as in your ignorance,
15 but just as he who called you is holy,
you yourselves also be holy in all of your
behavior,
16 because it is written, “You shall be
holy, for I am holy.”*
17 If you call on him as Father, who without
respect of persons judges according to
each man’s work, pass the time of your
living as foreigners here in reverent fear,
18 knowing that you were redeemed, not
with corruptible things like silver or gold,
from the useless way of life handed down
from your fathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb
without blemish or spot, the blood of
Christ,
20 who was foreknownindeed before the
foundation of the world, but was revealed
in this last age for your sake,
21 who through him are believers in God,
who raised him from the dead and gave
him glory, so that your faith and hope
might be in God.
22 Seeing you have purified your souls
in your obedience to the truth through the
Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love
one another from the heart fervently,
23 having been born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
through the word of God, which lives and
remains forever.
24 For, “All flesh is like grass,
and all of man’s glory like the flower in
the grass. The grass withers,
and its flower falls;
25 but the Lord’s word endures forever.”*
This is the word of Good News which
was preached to you.