1 Peter

1:1 Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 personally chosen according to the pro-knowing of God the Father, inside the devotion of the Spirit for the purpose of coming under word and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

3 We speak well of the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the One who, according to His plenteous mercy, has conceived us again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ out from the dead, 4 into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, that is being kept inside of the heavens entering into you. 5 You are being guarded, watched over, and kept inside of the power of God and carried through faith into a salvation that is complete and ready to be unveiled [the cover taken off so that what has been all along is now made visible] inside of the final season of opportunity.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, for a little while at present it is inevitable that you are distressed and grieved in various trials, 7 so that the proving of your faith, which is more precious than perishing gold, being refined through fire, that your faith might be found into praise and glory and honor inside the unveiling of Jesus Christ. 8 Whom, not having seen, you love, into whom now you believe, though you do not see outwardly; moreover you exult with joy inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 receiving the full completion of your faith, the salvation and healing of your souls [your self-story, your entire human consciousness].

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets searched diligently, having prophesied [called forth] grace into you, 11 and inquiring into who or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ inside of them was making clear, they testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that must follow. 12 To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves, but you, in words declared to you through those having proclaimed to you the gospel inside the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels desire to look.

13 Therefore, since you have girded up the loins of your mind and are sober-minded, set your hope fully upon God’s enabling presence carrying you inside of the unveiling of Jesus Christ. 14 As children submitting to word, do not design or shape yourselves to your former passionate desires held in ignorance [that is, not knowing God]. 15 But as the One who called you is devoted, so also be devoted [to God] yourselves in all your manner of life, 16 as it is written, “You will be devoted to Me, because I am devoted to you” (Leviticus 11:44).

17 And if you call on Father who judges impartially according to what each one does, so conduct your life inside of fear during the time of your sojourning, 18 knowing that you were redeemed out from the useless way of living you inherited from your ancestors, not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by the precious and valued blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, 20 a Lamb PRO-KNOWN before the foundation of the cosmos [out from the all-here-now knowing of God], but that then became visible in these [present] final times for you, for your sake. 21 Through Him you believe into God as the One who raised Him up out from the dead and gave Him glory. For this reason your faith and hope are penetrating with purpose into God.

22 Since you have purified your souls [the words of your self-stories] inside of a submitted hearing of the truth resulting in sincere brotherly love, love one another out of a pure heart fervently. 23 You have been conceived from above, not out from perishable seed, but out from imperishable Seed, through the living and abiding Word of God. 24 For all flesh is like grass and all of its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls away, 25 but the speaking of the Lord abides, remains, and continues into the age. This, moreover, is the speaking of the gospel proclaimed into you.


2:1 Since you have set aside all malice, and all deceit, fakery, and spite and all speaking of evil words, 2 now, crave logical and guileless milk [as good words] like newborn babies so that you may increase inside of it into salvation, 3 if indeed you tasted and experienced that the Lord is good and well-fitted [to you] 4 as you approach to [connect with] Him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and valued alongside of God.

5 Also, you yourselves as living stones, are being constructed together as a spiritual house into a devoted priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices welcomed by God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore the Scripture contains: “Look and see, I set forth inside of Zion a stone, a chosen and valued cornerstone, and the one believing upon Him shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 28:46). 7 The high value is to you who believe; to those who do not believe, however: “The stone which those building have rejected, this has become into the head of the corner [or secret place]” (Psalm 118:22). 8 And, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (Isaiah 8:14). They strike against and take offense at the word, refusing to be persuaded, into which also they are then established.

9 You, however, are a chosen offspring and family, a royal priesthood, a devoted ethnic group, a people into His gain and possession, so that you may publicly declare the goodness and virtue of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 You were once not a people, but now you are the people of God. You once had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I encourage you, as strangers and travelers, to hold back from fleshly desires, which war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior honorable among the ethnic groups, so that if they speak against you as evildoers, once they have witnessed your good deeds, they may glorify God inside of the day of inspection.

13 Be in subjection through the Lord to every human institution, whether to the king as being supreme, 14 or to governors, as having been sent by him, then, for justice to evil doers and praise to well-doers. 15 For this is God’s desire, to put to silence the senseless ignorance of men through your doing good, 16 yet as free, but not “freedom” as a cover-up for evil, but as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone: love the brothers and sisters. Fear God; honor the king.

18 Workers, be subject to your employers in all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unfair. 19 For this is grace, if anyone suffers pain unjustly, through the consciousness of God. 20 For what sort of credit is it if you endure being struck for making mistakes? But if you endure ill treatment even while doing good, this is grace alongside of God.

21 For you have been called into this, because Christ also suffered for you, for your sake, leaving you a pattern, as of word to copy, that you should follow His footsteps [your corresponding response to word]: 22 “Who did not commit sin [did not fall short of God], neither was trickery found inside His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). 23 Who, when He was reviled or abused, did not revile or abuse in return. When He suffered ill treatment, He did not threaten, but gave Himself over to Him who judges justly. 24 Who Himself carried our sins inside of His body upon the tree so that, having been already fully removed from sins and from all falling short of God, we are free to live in just innocence. By whose wounds you have been healed (Isaiah 53:5). 25 For you were like sheep wandering away, but now you have returned, and come back to yourself, upon the Shepherd who keeps His eyes upon your souls [that is, upon the words of your self-story].


3:1 In the same way, wives be subject to your own husbands, so that if any husband refuses to be persuaded by the word, he will be won through his wife’s behavior instead of talk. 2 He will have witnessed the pure and deep respect of your behavior towards him. 3 He will not be persuaded by any external braiding of hair and wearing of gold or putting on worldly garments, 4 but rather by the hidden self of the heart, inside of an indestructible spirit, gentle and peaceful, something that is very costly and of great value inside the face and presence of God. 5 For in this way also at one time devoted women hoping into God ordered themselves, submitting themselves to their own husbands. 6 In the same way Sarah listened intently to Abraham, calling him lord, of whom you have become children, doing good and not fearing any dismay.

7 In the same way, husbands, live together with your wives, knowing them as a weaker vessel. Give them full honor, since you share fully together as heirs of the grace of life, and so that your prayers would not be blocked.

8 Now, this is the goal and completion: let all be one mind, sharing the same passion, loving as brothers and sisters, tenderhearted, humble, 9 not repaying evil against evil or insult against insult. On the contrary, speak good words, because you were called into blessing, that you should inherit good-speaking and blessing. 10 “For the one who desires to love life and to see good days, let him restrain the tongue from evil speaking and the lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him also turn away from evil and let him do good. Let him seek peace and let him pursue it. 12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just and His ears into their prayer. The face of the Lord, however, is against those who do evil” (Psalm 34:12-16).

13 And who would treat you badly, if you are zealous for that which is good? 14 But if you should suffer through just innocence, you are happy. And you should not be afraid of their threats, neither should you be troubled. 15 As the Lord, however, devote yourself to Christ inside of your hearts, ready always to speak to all in defense of the hope inside of you, yet with gentleness and fear. 16 Possess a good consciousness so that when they speak against you, reviling your good manner of life inside of Christ, they would be ashamed. 17 For as you desire God’s desire, it is better to suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong.

18 For Christ also suffered once all around sins, the just and innocent for the unjust, so that He might bring you to connect with God. He was put to death in the flesh but was made alive in the spirit. 19 During that time He also went into prison and preached to spirits, 20 those who at one time had refused to be persuaded. This was when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, as he prepared the ark in which a few, that is eight souls, were brought safely through water. 21 This metaphor also prefigures immersion now saving you, not in putting away any dirtiness of flesh, but in the response of a good consciousness into God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is inside of the right hand of God, having gone into heaven where angels, authorities, and powers are subject to Him.


4:1 Since Christ suffered in flesh, so you also equip and make ready the same mind, because the one who suffers ill treatment in flesh no longer disconnects from God, 2 but rather lives the remaining time in flesh not out from human passions, but out from God’s desires. 3 For the past time is sufficient to have carried out the intentions of the ethnic peoples [that is, the unbelievers], when you once walked in lawless insolence, passionate desires, drunkenness, wild sexual parties, drinking contests, and unlawful idolatries. 4 They are now startled that you do not run with them into the same poured out wastefulness and speaking evil against others. 5 They will give their account to Him who readily judges the living and the dead. 6 For this purpose the gospel was publicly declared to the dead, so that they might be judged truly according to men in the flesh; but that they might live according to God in Spirit.

7 The completion of all has now drawn near. Be clear-minded, therefore, and sober into prayers. 8 Above all, have fervent love among yourselves, for love covers many mistakes. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint, 10 as each has received a gift for the purpose of serving one another, as good stewards of the many and diverse graces and kindnesses of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the speaking of God; if anyone serves, let him serve out from the strength which God provides, so that God might be glorified in all through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might into the seasons of the ages. Let it be so; it is so.

12 Beloved do not be startled among yourselves at the fire as a temptation or test taking place, as if a strange thing were happening to you. 13 But rejoice as you have shared the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice exultantly inside the unveiling of His glory. 14 If you are reviled in the name of Christ, you are blessed and happy, because the glory and Spirit of God rests upon you. Indeed, by them He is slandered, but by you He is glorified. 15 Let not any of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer, or as a troublesome meddler. 16 However, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God inside this name.

17 For it is the opportune time and the right season for the judgment to have begun from the house of God, and if now first from us, what will be the outcome of those refusing to be persuaded by the gospel of God? 18 And, if the just and innocent one is scarcely saved, in what place will the disrespectful and sinner be made visible? 13 Therefore also, those who suffer as part of God’s desire are setting forth their souls alongside their faithful Creator in well-doing.


5:1 The elders among you I encourage as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory about to be unveiled, 2 that you shepherd the flock of God. Care for them, not by obligation, but willingly, according to God, and not for material gain, but eagerly. 3 Do not control those belonging to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 And as the Chief Shepherd is made visible, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, younger ones be subject to your elders.

All of you now put upon yourself humility each to the other as a garment, for God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the lowly. 6 Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up in the right time. 7 Cast all of your anxiety upon Him, for His care is all around you.

8 Be sober and awake; watch. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour. 9 You should resist him, steadfast and firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are happening to your brothers and sisters throughout the world. 10 Now the God of all grace, the One having called you into His age-unfolding glory inside of Christ Jesus, as you suffer ill treatment a little while, yet He himself will completely prepare you, will fix and establish you, will strengthen you, and will set your foundation. 11 To Him be the might into the seasons of the ages. Let it be so; it is so.

12 I have written these few words to you through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, encouraging you and testifying this to be the true grace of God into which you stand. 13 The church in Babylon, elect with you, greets you, as well as Mark, a son to me. 14 Greet one another with expressions of love. Peace to you all who are inside of Christ. Let it be so; it is so.