1 ¶ Peter, apostle of Jesus, the Christ, to the strangers scattered in Pontus, in Galatia, in Cappadocia, in Asia, and in Bithynia,

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen

2 c hosen (according to the foreknowledge of God the Father) in sanctification of the Spirit, to obey and be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, the Christ, Grace and peace, be multiplied unto you.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

3 ¶ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Christ, who according to his great mercy has begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, from the dead,

Blessed 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,

4 u nto the incorruptible inheritance that cannot be defiled and that does not fade away, conserved in the heavens for you,

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

5 w ho are kept in the virtue of God by faith, to attain unto the saving health which is made ready to be manifested in the last time.

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

6 ¶ In which ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are afflicted in diverse temptations,

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

7 t hat the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold (which perishes, nevertheless it is tried with fire), might be found unto praise and glory and honour when Jesus, the Christ, is made manifest;

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

8 w hom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though at present ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;

and 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 full of glory,

9 r eceiving the end of your faith, even the saving health of your souls.

obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

10 ¶ Of which saving health the prophets, (who prophesied of the grace that was to come in you) have enquired and searched diligently;

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

11 s earching when and in what point of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, which announced beforehand the afflictions that were to come upon the Christ, and the glory that should follow them.

seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

12 U nto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did administer the things, which are now announced unto you by those that have preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.

It 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 look.

13 ¶ Therefore, having the loins of your understanding girded with temperance, wait perfectly in the grace that is presented unto you when Jesus, the Christ, is manifested unto you,

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14 a s obedient sons, not conforming yourselves with the former desires that you had before in your ignorance,

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

15 b ut as he who has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

16 f or it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

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

17 A nd if ye invoke as Father, he who without respect of persons judges according to the work of each one, converse in fear the entire time of your sojourning here,

If 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;

18 k nowing that ye have been ransomed from your vain conversation (which you received from your fathers), not with corruptible things like silver and gold,

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

19 b ut with the precious blood of the Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without contamination,

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

20 a lready ordained from before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for love of you,

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

21 w ho by him do believe God, who raised him up from the dead and has given him glory: that your faith and hope might be in God.

who 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.

22 H aving purified your souls in the obedience of the truth, by the Spirit, in unfeigned brotherly love, love one another with a pure heart fervently,

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

23 b eing born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever.

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

24 ¶ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,

For, “ All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,

25 b ut the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.