1 P eter, an apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to the elect exiles of the dispersion scattered (sowed) abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the choice sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 W ho were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance '> realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].

according to a foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied!

3 P raised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the abundance of His kindness did beget us again to a living hope, through the rising again of Jesus Christ out of the dead,

4 i nto an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay, unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in the heavens for you,

5 W ho are being guarded (garrisoned) by God’s power through faith '> final] salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

who, in the power of God are being guarded, through faith, unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time,

6 b e exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations,

in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials,

7 S o that of your faith may be tested, which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. to redound to praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.

that the proof of your faith -- much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved -- may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation of Jesus Christ,

8 W ithout having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.

whom, not having seen, ye love, in whom, now not seeing and believing, ye are glad with joy unspeakable and glorified,

9 y ou receive the result (outcome, consummation) of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

receiving the end of your faith -- salvation of souls;

10 T he prophets, who prophesied of the grace (divine blessing) which was intended for you, searched and inquired earnestly about this salvation.

concerning which salvation seek out and search out did prophets who concerning the grace toward you did prophecy,

11 T hey sought to whom or when this was to come which the Spirit of Christ working within them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow.

searching in regard to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was manifesting, testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory after these,

12 I t was then disclosed to them that the services they were rendering were not meant for themselves and their period of time, but for you. things which have now already been made known plainly to you by those who preached the good news (the Gospel) to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things angels long to look!

to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering these, which now were told to you (through those who did proclaim good news to you,) in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, to which things messengers do desire to bend looking.

13 S o brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ,

14 a s children of obedience; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires in your former ignorance.

as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance,

15 B ut as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

but according as He who did call you holy, ye also, become holy in all behaviour,

16 F or it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

because it hath been written, `Become ye holy, because I am holy;'

17 A nd if you call upon Him as Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence.

and if on the Father ye do call, who without acceptance of persons is judging according to the work of each, in fear the time of your sojourn pass ye,

18 Y ou must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from forefathers, not with corruptible things silver and gold,

having known that, not with corruptible things -- silver or gold -- were ye redeemed from your foolish behaviour delivered by fathers,

19 B ut with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and unspotted -- Christ's --

20 I t is true that He was chosen and foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.

foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the last times because of you,

21 T hrough Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

who through him do believe in God, who did raise out of the dead, and glory to him did give, so that your faith and hope may be in God.

22 S ince by your obedience to the Truth through the Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, love one another fervently from a pure heart.

Your souls having purified in the obedience of the truth through the Spirit to brotherly love unfeigned, out of a pure heart one another love ye earnestly,

23 Y ou have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin ( seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.

being begotten again, not out of seed corruptible, but incorruptible, through a word of God -- living and remaining -- to the age;

24 F or all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,

because all flesh as grass, and all glory of man as flower of grass; wither did the grass, and the flower of it fell away,

25 B ut the Word of the Lord ( divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you.

and the saying of the Lord doth remain -- to the age; and this is the saying that was proclaimed good news to you.