Peter Chapters

1 | •  ¹From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to all those living as aliens in the Dispersion, in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, ²to those whom God the Father has called according to his plan, and made holy by the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ, and be purified by his blood: may grace and peace increase among you.

You Have Been Saved

³Let us praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his great mercy. In raising Jesus Christ from the dead, he has given us new life and living hope. ⁴The inheritance that does not corrupt, undefiled, or pass away was reserved for you in heaven, and ⁵since God’s power shall keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days.

⁶There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials. ⁷Thus will your faith be tested like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away, but faith, worth so much more, will bring you, in the end, praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ appears.

⁸You have not yet seen him, and yet you love him; even without seeing him, you believe in him and experience a heavenly joy beyond all words, ⁹for you are reaching the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰This was the salvation for which the prophets eagerly looked in days past and foretold God's favor about you. ¹¹ But they could only investigate when the Spirit of Christ, present within them, pointed out the time and circumstances of this—the sufferings of Christ and the glories which would follow.

¹²It was revealed to them that they were working, not for themselves, but for you. Thus, these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the gospel preachers have taught you these mysteries, which even the angels long to see.

Be Holy

•  ¹³So, then, let your spirit be ready. Be alert, with confident trust, in the grace you will receive when Jesus Christ appears. ¹⁴Like obedient children, do not return to your former life, given over to ignorance and passions. ¹⁵Imitate the one who called you. As he is holy, so you, too, be holy in all your conduct ¹⁶since Scripture says: Be holy for I am holy.

¹⁷You call upon a Father who makes no distinction between persons but judges according to each one’s deeds; take seriously these years which you spend in a strange land. ¹⁸Remember that you were freed from your ancestors' useless way of life, not with gold and silver, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of the Lamb without spot or blemish. ²⁰God, who had known Christ before the world began, revealed him to you in the last days. ²¹Through him, you have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him so that you might put all your faith and hope in God.

²²In obeying the truth, you have gained interior purification, from which comes sincere mutual love. Love one another then, with all your heart, ²³since you are born again, not from mortal beings, but with enduring life, through the word of God who lives and remains forever. ²⁴It is written: All flesh is grass and its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls, ²⁵but the word of the Lord endures forever. This word is the gospel, which has been brought to you.

Christ Is the Cornerstone

2 | •  ¹So, give up all evil and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and gossip. ²Like newborn children, seek the pure milk of the word that will help you grow and reach salvation. ³Did you not taste the goodness of the Lord? ⁴He is the living stone rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him, ⁵so that you, too, become living stones built into a spiritual temple, a holy community of priests, offering spiritual sacrifices that please God through Jesus Christ. ⁶Scripture says: See, I lay in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone; whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.

⁷This means honor for you who believed, but for unbelievers, the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ⁸which is a stone to stumble over, a rock that will make them fall. They stumble over it in rejecting the word, but the plan of God is fulfilled in this.

⁹You are a chosen race, a community of priest-kings, a consecrated nation, a people God has made his own to proclaim his wonders, for he called you from your darkness to his own wonderful light. ¹⁰At one stage, you were no people, but now you are God’s people. You had not received his mercy, but now you have been given mercy.

Live a Blameless Life

•  ¹¹Beloved, while you are strangers and exiles, I urge you not to indulge in selfish passions that wage war on the soul. ¹²Live a blameless life among the pagans; so, when they accuse you falsely of any wrong, they may see your good works and give glory to God on the day he comes to them.

¹³For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority: the king as the chief authority, ¹⁴the governors, as sent by him to punish evildoers, and to encourage those who do good. ¹⁵And God wants you to do good so that you may silence those fools who ignorantly criticize you. ¹⁶Behave as free people, but do not speak of freedom as a license for vice; you are free men and God’s servants. ¹⁷Reverence each person, love your brothers and sisters, fear God, and show respect to the emperor.

¹⁸Servants must respect their masters, not only those who are good and understanding but also those who are difficult. ¹⁹For there is merit in putting up with unprovoked suffering for the sake of God. ²⁰What merit would there be in taking a beating when you have done wrong? But if you endure punishment when you have done well, that is a grace before God.

²¹This is your calling: remember Christ, who suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in his way. ²²He did no wrong, and there was no deceit in his mouth. ²³He did not return insult for insult; when suffering, he did not curse but put himself in the hands of God who judges justly. ²⁴He went to the cross, bearing our sins in his own body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live an upright life. For, by his wounds, you have been healed. ²⁵You were like stray sheep, but you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Duties of Husbands and Wives

3 | •  ¹In the same way, wives must be submissive to their husbands. If any of them resists the word, they will be won over without words by the conduct of their wives. ²It will be enough for them to see your responsible and blameless conduct.

³Do not be taken up with outward appearances: hairstyles, gold necklaces, and clothes. ⁴There is something more permanent that shines from within a person: a gentle and peaceful disposition. This is precious in God’s eyes. ⁵ This was how the holy women of the past dressed. They put their trust in God and were obedient to their husbands, ⁶namely, Sarah, who had such respect for Abraham that she called him her lord. You are her children if you do what is right and are unafraid.

⁷Husbands, in your turn, be sensible in your life together. Be considerate, realizing that the woman is of a more frail disposition and that you both share in the gift of life. This will prevent anything from coming in the way of your prayer.

⁸Finally, you should all be of one mind: share each other’s troubles with mutual affection and be compassionate and humble. ⁹Do not repay evil for evil or answer one insult with another. Give a blessing instead since this is what you have been called to do so that you will receive the blessing. ¹⁰For if you seek life and want to see happiness, keep your tongue from evil and your mouth from speaking deceit. ¹¹Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. ¹²Because the Lord’s eyes are turned to the just, his ears listen to their appeal. But the Lord frowns on evildoers.

Do Not Fear or Be Disturbed

¹³Who can harm you if you devote yourselves to doing good? ¹⁴If you suffer for the sake of righteousness, happy are you. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed as they are, ¹⁵but bless the Lord Christ in your hearts. Always have an answer ready when you are called upon to account for your hope, but give it simply and with respect. ¹⁶Keep your conscience clear so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your upright Christian living. ¹⁷Better to suffer for doing good, if it is God’s will than for doing wrong.

Endure Sufferings as Christ Did

•  ¹⁸Remember how Christ died, once and for all, for our sins. He, the just one, died for the unjust to lead us to God. In the body, he was put to death; in the spirit, he was raised to life, ¹⁹and it was then that he went to preach to the imprisoned spirits. ²⁰They were the generation who did not believe when God, in his great patience, delayed punishing the world while Noah was building the ark, in which a small group of eight persons escaped through the water. ²¹That was a type of baptism that now saves you; this baptism is not a matter of physical cleansing but of asking God to reconcile us through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. ²²He has ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of God, having subjected the angels, Dominions, and Powers.

4 | •  ¹Given that Christ suffered in his human life, arm yourselves with this certainty: the one who suffers in his body has broken with sin, ²to spend the rest of his life following the will of God, and not human passions.

³You have given enough time, in the past, to living as the pagans do: a life of excess, evil passions, drunkenness, orgies, and worship of idols. ⁴They now find it strange that you are no longer swept along with them in this ruinous flood and then abuse you for it. ⁵But they will be accountable to the one ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶The gospel has been preached to many who are now dead. As humans, they received a deadly sentence, but through the spirit, they shall live for God.

⁷The end of all things is near; keep your minds calm and sober for prayer. ⁸Above all, let your love for one another be sincere, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Welcome one another into your houses without complaining. ¹⁰Serve one another with the gifts each of you received, thus becoming good managers of the varied graces of God. ¹¹If you speak, deliver the word of God; if you have a special ministry, let it be seen as God’s power, so that, in everything, God may be glorified in Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Be Glad to Share in the Sufferings of Christ

•  ¹²My dear people, do not be surprised at the testing by fire, which is taking place among you, as though something strange was happening to you. ¹³Instead, you should be glad to share in the sufferings of Christ because, on the day his glory is revealed, you will also fully rejoice. ¹⁴You are fortunate if you are insulted because of the name of Christ, for the Spirit of glory rests on you. ¹⁵I suppose that none of you should suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or an informer; ¹⁶but if anyone suffers on account of being a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace; rather, let this name bring glory to God.

¹⁷The time of judgment has come, beginning with God’s household. If it begins with us, how will it end for those who refuse to believe in the gospel? ¹⁸If the just one is barely saved, what will happen to the sinner and unbeliever? ¹⁹If you suffer according to God’s will, entrust yourself to the faithful creator and continue to do good.

Further Admonitions

5 | •  ¹I now address myself to those elders among you; I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, hoping to share the glory that is to be revealed. ²Shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to you, guarding it, not out of obligation, but willingly, for God’s sake; not as one looking for a reward, but with a generous heart; ³do not lord it over those in your care, rather be an example to your flock. ⁴Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory.

⁵In the same way, let the younger ones among you respect the authority of the elders. You must be humble in your dealings with one another because God opposes the proud but gives his grace to the humble.

⁶Bow down, then, before the power of God, so that he will raise you up at the appointed time. ⁷Place all your worries on him since he takes care of you.

⁸Be sober and alert because your enemy, the devil, prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. ⁹Stand your ground, firm in your faith, knowing that our brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the world, are confronting similar sufferings. ¹⁰God, the giver of all grace, has called you to share in Christ’s eternal glory, and after you have suffered a little, he will bring you to perfection: he will confirm, strengthen, and establish you forever. ¹¹Glory be to him forever and ever. Amen.

•  ¹²I have had these few lines of encouragement written to you by Silvanus, our brother, whom I know to be trustworthy. For I wanted to remind you of the kindness of God present in all this. Hold on to it.

¹³Greetings from the community in Babylon, gathered by God and from my son, Mark.

¹⁴Greet one another with a friendly embrace. Peace to you all who are in Christ.