1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are temporary residents scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2You who are chosen and foreknown by God the Father. You have been sanctified by the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. Grace and peace be greatly increased to you. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 4You are born to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away and is reserved in heaven for you. 5You are protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6You greatly rejoice in this, though you have been grieved with various trials for a little while. 7The proof of your faith is more precious than gold that perishes. Though it is tested by fire, it may be found in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8You love him without seeing him. Though you do not see him, you believe in him. Full of glory, you rejoice greatly with indescribable joy. 9You receive your salvation as the outcome of your faith. 10Concerning this salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently! They prophesied about the grace that should come to you: 11searching what time or what manner of time the spirit of Christ that was in them did point to, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. 12God revealed to the prophets that the things they spoke were not for their own benefit but for yours. The Holy Spirit was sent from heaven to make known to you what the prophets spoke. Those who spread the good news to you did this. These are things even the angels want to look into. 13Brace up your minds. Remain sober, and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14Live as children of obedience. Do not fashion yourself according to your former lusts, for you were ignorant at that time. 15Be holy in all your conduct, just as the one who called you is holy. 16Because it is written: »You shall be holy for I am holy.« 17If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time you spend here in reverence. 18Know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers. The redemption was not with corruptible things like silver or gold, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ. 20Jesus was known before the foundation of the world. He was made known at the end times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God. God raised him from the dead, and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in God. 22You have purified your hearts by obeying the truth. You have genuine affection for the brothers and sisters. So always love one another intensely extremelydeeply from the heart. 23You have been given a new birth, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and endures. 24All people are like grass. All their glory is like the blossom of a flower. The grass withers and the flower drops off. 25But the word of our God abides forever. This is the word of good tidings that was preached to you.