1 PETER
Book 60
1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia,
and Bithynia,
1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of
God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead,
1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1:5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now
for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations:
1:7 That the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ:
1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory:
1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even
the salvation of your souls.
1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have
enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that
should come unto you:
1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time
the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not
unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are
now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you
with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels
desire to look into.
1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning
yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1:15 But as he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for
I am holy.
1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who
without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass
the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and
hope might be in God.
1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever.
1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the
glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the
flower thereof falleth away:
1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for
ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and
all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord
is gracious.
2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone,
disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up
a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the
scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect,
precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is
precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of
offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:
whereunto also they were appointed.
2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light;
2:10 Which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy.
2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against
the soul;
2:12 Having your conversation honest among
the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they
may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the
day of visitation.
2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that
are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of
them that do well.
2:15 For so is the will of God, that with
well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
2:16 As free, and not using your liberty
for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood.
Fear God. Honour the king.
2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters
with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the
froward.
2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be
buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye
do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God.
2:21 For even hereunto were ye called:
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye
should follow his steps:
2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth:
2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to
him that judgeth righteously:
2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his
own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but
are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to
your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may
without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
3:2 While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.
3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that
outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel;
3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
3:5 For after this manner in the old time
the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in
subjection unto their own husbands:
3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling
him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not
afraid with any amazement.
3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them
according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the
weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that
your prayers be not hindered.
3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing
for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto
called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
3:10 For he that will love life, and see
good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that
they speak no guile:
3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let
him seek peace, and ensue it.
3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the
righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of
the Lord is against them that do evil.
3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if
ye be followers of that which is good?
3:14 But and if ye suffer for
righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror,
neither be troubled;
3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
3:16 Having a good conscience; that,
whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
3:17 For it is better, if the will of God
be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for
sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being
put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
3:19 By which also he went and preached
unto the spirits in prison;
3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when
once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the
ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water.
3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ:
3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the
right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made
subject unto him.
4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered
for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for
he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
4:2 That he no longer should live the rest
of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
4:3 For the time past of our life may
suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and
abominable idolatries:
4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye
run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
4:5 Who shall give account to him that is
ready to judge the quick and the dead.
4:6 For for this cause was the gospel
preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged
according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the
spirit.
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand:
be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
4:8 And above all things have fervent
charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of
sins.
4:9 Use hospitality one to another without
grudging.
4:10 As every man hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God.
4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the
oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability
which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
4:12 Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you:
4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon
you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is
glorified.
4:15 But let none of you suffer as a
murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other
men's matters.
4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
4:17 For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer
according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him
in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
5:1 The elders which are among you I
exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of
Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among
you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
5:3 Neither as being lords over God's
heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall
appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves
unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be
clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace
to the humble.
5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he
careth for you.
5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour:
5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world.
5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath
called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen.
5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto
you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying
that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected
together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of
charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
