1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, Lit unto obedience and sprinklingto obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

5who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various Or temptationstrials,

7so that the Or genuinenessproof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and Lit glorifiedfull of glory,

9obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of One early ms does not contain youryour souls.

10As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,

11Or inquiringseeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories Lit after theseto follow.

12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to Or gain a clear glimpselook.

13Therefore, Lit belt up the waist of your mindprepare your minds for action, Lit be soberkeep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14As Lit children of obedienceobedient children, do not Or conform yourselvesbe conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

15but Lit according tolike the Holy One who called you, Or becomebe holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

16because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

18knowing that you were not Or ransomedredeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,

19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared Lit at the end of the timesin these last times for the sake of you

21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from Two early mss a pure heartthe heart,

23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

24For,