1 Peter 1 (New American Standard)

A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation

1 ¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as ²aliens, ³scattered throughout ⁴Pontus, ⁵Galatia, ⁶Cappadocia, ⁷Asia, and ⁸Bithynia, ⁹who are chosen 2 according to the ¹⁰foreknowledge of God the Father, ¹¹by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, ^ato ¹²obey Jesus Christ and be ¹³sprinkled with His blood : ¹⁴May grace and peace ^bbe yours in the fullest measure. 3 ¹⁵Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ¹⁶according to His great mercy ¹⁷has caused us to be born again to ¹⁸a living hope through the ¹⁹resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an ²⁰inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and ²¹will not fade away, ²²reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are ²³protected by the power of God ²⁴through faith for ²⁵a salvation ready ²⁶to be revealed in the last time. 6 ²⁷In this you greatly rejoice, even though now ²⁸for a little while, ²⁹if necessary, you have been distressed by ³⁰various ^ctrials, 7 so that the ^d31proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which ^eis perishable, ³²even though tested by fire, ³³may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at ³⁴the revelation of Jesus Christ ; 8 and ³⁵though you have not seen Him, you ³⁶love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and ^ffull of glory, 9 obtaining as ³⁷the outcome of your faith the salvation of ^gyour souls. 10 ³⁸As to this salvation, the prophets who ³⁹prophesied of the ⁴⁰grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 ^hseeking to know what person or time ⁴¹the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He ⁴²predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories ⁱto follow . 12 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 ⁴³preached the gospel to you by ⁴⁴the Holy Spirit sent from heaven -things into which ⁴⁵angels long to ^jlook. 13 Therefore, ^k46prepare your minds for action, ^l47keep sober in spirit, fix your ⁴⁸hope completely on the ⁴⁹grace ^mto be brought to you at ⁵⁰the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As ⁿ⁵¹obedient children, do not ^o52be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ⁵³ignorance, 15 but ^p54like the Holy One who called you, ^q55be holy yourselves also ⁵⁶in all your behavior ; 16 because it is written, "⁵⁷YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 17 If you ⁵⁸address as Father the One who ⁵⁹impartially ⁶⁰judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves ⁶¹in fear during the time of your ⁶²stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not ^r63redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your ⁶⁴futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious ⁶⁵blood, as of a ⁶⁶lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was ⁶⁷foreknown before ⁶⁸the foundation of the world, but has ⁶⁹appeared ^sin these last times ⁷⁰for the sake of you 21 who through Him are ⁷¹believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and ⁷²gave Him glory, so that your faith and ⁷³hope are in God. 22 Since you have ⁷⁴in obedience to the truth ⁷⁵purified your souls for a ^t76sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from ^uthe heart, 23 for you have been ⁷⁷born again ⁷⁸not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring ⁷⁹word of God. 24 For, "⁸⁰ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25 ⁸¹BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is ⁸²the word which was ^vpreached to you.