1This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.G4074G652G2424G5547G3927G1290G4195G1053G2587G773G2532G9782God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.G1588G2596G4268G2316G3962G1722G38G4151G1519G5218G2532G4473G129G2424G5547G5485G5213G2532G1515G4129
The Hope of Eternal Life
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,G2128G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G3588G2596G846G4183G1656G313G2248G313G1519G2198G1680G1223G386G2424G5547G1537G34984and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.G1519G2817G862G2532G283G2532G263G5083G1722G3772G1519G52095And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.G3588G5432G1722G1411G2316G1223G4102G1519G4991G2092G601G1722G2078G25406So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.G1722G3739G21G737G3641G1487G1163G2076G3076G1722G4164G39867These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.G2443G1383G5216G4102G4183G5093G5553G622G1223G1161G1381G4442G2147G1519G1868G2532G5092G2532G1391G1722G602G2424G55478You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.G3739G1492G3756G1492G1492G25G1519G3739G737G3708G3361G1161G4100G21G5479G412G2532G13929The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.G2865G5056G5216G4102G4991G559010This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.G4012G3739G4991G4396G1567G2532G1830G3588G4395G4012G5485G1519G520911They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward.G2045G1519G5101G2228G4169G2540G4151G5547G3588G1722G846G1213G4303G3804G1519G5547G2532G1391G3326G502312They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.G3739G601G3754G3756G1438G1161G2254G1247G846G3739G312G3568G312G5213G1223G2097G5209G1722G40G4151G649G575G3772G3739G32G1937G3879G1519
A Call to Holy Living
13So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.G1352G328G3751G5216G1271G3525G1679G5049G1909G5485G5342G5213G1722G602G2424G554714So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then.G5613G5218G5043G3361G4964G4386G1939G1722G5216G5215But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.G235G2596G2564G5209G40G2532G1096G846G40G1722G3956G39116For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."G1360G1125G1096G40G3754G1473G1510G4017And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land."G2532G1487G1941G3962G3588G678G2919G2596G1538G2041G390G5550G5216G3940G1722G540118For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.G1492G3754G3084G3756G3084G5349G694G2228G5553G1537G5216G3152G391G397019It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.G235G5093G129G5547G5613G286G299G2532G78420God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.G3303G4267G4253G2602G2889G1161G5319G1909G2078G5550G1223G520921Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.G3588G1223G846G4100G1519G2316G1453G846G1453G1537G3498G2532G1325G846G1391G5620G5216G4102G2532G1680G1511G1519G231622You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.G48G5216G5590G1722G5218G225G1223G4151G1519G505G5360G25G240G1537G2513G2588G161923For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.G313G3756G1537G5349G4701G235G862G1223G3056G2316G2198G2532G3306G1519G16524As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.G1360G3956G4561G5613G5528G2532G3956G1391G444G5613G438G5528G5528G3583G2532G438G846G160125But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.G1161G4487G2962G3306G1519G165G1161G5124G2076G4487G3588G2097G1519G5209
2So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.G3767G659G3956G2549G2532G3956G1388G2532G5272G2532G5355G2532G3956G26362Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,G5613G738G1025G1971G97G1051G3050G2443G837G1722G8463now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.G1512G1089G3754G2962G5543
Living Stones for God’s House
4You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.G4314G3739G4334G2198G3037G593G3303G5259G444G1161G1588G3844G2316G17845And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.G846G2532G5613G2198G3037G3618G4152G3624G40G2406G399G4152G2378G2144G2316G1223G2424G55476As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."G1352G2532G4023G1722G1124G2400G5087G1722G4622G204G3037G1588G1784G2532G4100G1909G846G2617G3364G26177Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone."G5213G3767G3588G4100G5092G1161G544G3037G3739G3618G593G3778G1096G1519G2776G11378And, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.G2532G3037G4348G2532G4073G4625G3739G4350G3056G544G1519G3739G2532G50879But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.G1161G5210G1588G1085G934G2406G40G1484G1519G4047G2992G3704G1804G703G2564G5209G1537G4655G1519G846G2298G545710"Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."G3588G4218G3756G2992G1161G3568G2992G2316G3588G1653G3756G1653G1161G3568G165311Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.G27G3870G5613G3941G2532G3927G567G4559G1939G3748G4754G2596G559012Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.G2192G5216G391G2570G1722G1484G2443G1722G3739G2635G5216G5613G2555G1392G1537G2570G2041G2029G1392G2316G1722G2250G1984
Respecting People in Authority
13For the Lord's sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state,G3767G5293G3956G2937G442G1223G2962G1535G935G5613G524214or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.G1535G2232G5613G3992G1223G846G1519G3303G1557G2555G1161G1868G1715It is God's will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.G3754G3779G2076G2307G2316G15G5392G56G878G44416For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.G5613G1658G2532G3361G2192G1657G5613G1942G2549G235G5613G1401G231617Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.G5091G3956G25G81G5399G2316G5091G935
Slaves
18You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.G3610G5293G1203G1722G3956G5401G3756G3440G18G2532G1933G235G2532G464619For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.G1063G5124G5485G1487G5100G1223G4893G2316G5297G3077G3958G9520Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.G1063G4169G2811G1487G2532G2852G264G5278G235G1487G15G2532G3958G5278G5124G5485G3844G231621For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.G1063G1519G5124G2564G3754G5547G2532G3958G5228G2257G5277G2254G5261G2443G1872G846G248722He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.G3739G4160G3756G266G3761G1388G2147G1722G846G475023He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.G3739G3058G486G3756G486G3958G546G3756G1161G3860G2919G134624He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.G3739G846G399G2257G266G1722G846G4983G1909G3586G2443G2198G581G266G2198G1343G3739G846G3468G239025Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.G1063G2258G5613G4263G4105G235G1994G3568G1994G1909G4166G2532G1985G5216G5590
33Let the godly sing for joy to the LORD; it is fitting for the pure to praise him.H7442H3068H6662H8416H5000H34772Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.H3034H3068H3658H2167H5035H62183Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.H7891H2319H7892H5059H3190H86434For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does.H1697H3068H3477H4639H5305He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the LORD fills the earth.H157H6666H4941H776H4390H2617H30686The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.H1697H3068H8064H6213H6635H7307H63107He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.H3664H4325H3220H5067H5414H8415H2148Let the whole world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him.H776H3372H3068H3427H8398H14819For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.H559H6680H597510The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.H3068H6331H6098H1471H6331H5106H4284H5971H510611But the LORD's plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.H6098H3068H5975H5769H4284H3820H1755H175512What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.H835H1471H430H3068H5971H977H515913The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.H3068H5027H8064H7200H1121H12014From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.H4349H3427H7688H3427H77615He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.H3335H3820H3162H995H463916The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.H4428H3467H7230H2428H1368H5337H7230H358117Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.H5483H8267H8668H4422H7230H242818But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.H5869H3068H3373H3176H261719He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.H5337H5315H4194H2421H745820We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.H5315H2442H3068H5828H404321In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.H3820H8055H982H6944H803422Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.H2617H3068H3176
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