1 Peter 1

1 Peter 1

(1) Peter, an ambassador of Jesus Christ, to those who have settled down alongside of the native pagan population, scattered as seed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) chosen-out ones, this choice having been determined by the foreordination of God the Father, those chosen out to be recipients of the setting-apart work of the Spirit resulting in obedience (of faith) and (thus) in the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace (be) to you, and (heart) peace be multiplied.

(3) Let the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be eulogized, who impelled by His abundant mercy begat us anew so that we have a lively hope, this lively hope having been made actual through the intermediate instrumentality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ out from among those who are dead, (4) and an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that does not fade away, which inheritance has been laid up and is now kept guarded in safe deposit in heaven for you, (5) who are constantly being kept guarded by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (6) In which last time you are to be constantly rejoicing with a joy that expresses itself in a triumphant exuberance, although for a little while at the present time if perchance there is need for it, you have been made sorrowful in the midst of many different kinds of testings, (7) in order that the approval of your faith, which faith was examined by testing for the purpose of being approved, that approval being much more precious than the approval of gold which perishes, even though that gold be approved by fire-testing, may be discovered after scrutiny to result in praise and glory and honor at the time of the revelation of Jesus Christ; (8) of whom not having had a glimpse, you love because of His preciousness, in whom, now not seeing, yet believing, you are to be rejoicing with an inexpressible and glorified joy, (9) upon the occasion of your receiving the promised consummation of your faith which is the (final) salvation of your souls.

(10) Concerning which salvation prophets conducted an exhaustive inquiry and search, those who prophesied concerning the particular grace destined for you, (11) searching as to what season or character of season the Spirit of Christ who was in them was making plain, when He1 was testifying beforehand concerning the sufferings of Christ and the glories which would come after these sufferings, (12) to whom it was revealed that not for themselves were they ministering these things which now have been reported to you through those who have announced the glad tidings to you by the Holy Spirit who was sent down on a commission from heaven, into which things the angels have a passionate desire to look carefully.

(13) Wherefore, having put out of the way, once for all, everything that would impede the free action of your mind, be calm and collected in spirit, and set your hope perfectly, wholly, and unchangeably, without doubt and despondency upon the grace that is being brought to you upon the occasion of the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) as children of obedience not assuming an outward expression which would not be true of your inner life, an expression patterned after that which you formerly had in the ignorance of your passionate desires, (15) but after the pattern of the One who called you, the Holy One, also yourselves become holy persons in every kind of behavior, (16) because it has been written and as a present result is on record, Holy ones be ye, because I am holy. (17) And in view of the fact that you call on as Father Him who judges, not with a partiality based upon mere outward appearance, but with impartiality in accordance with each individual’s work, in fear order your behavior during the time of your residence as a foreigner, (18) knowing as you do, that not by means of corruptible things, little coins of silver and gold, were you set free once for all by the payment of ransom money, out of and away from your futile manner of life handed down from generation to generation, (19) but with costly blood highly honored, blood as of a lamb that is without blemish and spotless, the blood of Christ, (20) who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the universe was laid, but was visibly manifested at the closing years of the times for your sake, (21) who through Him are believers in God, the One who raised Him out from among those who are dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

(22) Wherefore, having purified your souls by means of your obedience to the truth, resulting in not an assumed but a genuine affection and fondness for the brethren, an affection and fondness that springs from your hearts by reason of the pleasure you take in them; from the heart love each other with an intense reciprocal love that springs from your hearts because of your estimation of the preciousness of the brethren, and which is divinely self-sacrificial in its essence, (23) having been begotten again through the Word of God which lives and abides; (24) for every kind of flesh is as grass, and its every kind of glory is as the flower of grass. The grass withers away, and the flower falls off, (25) but the Word of the Lord abides forever. And this is the Word which in the declaration of the good news was preached to you.[1]

[1]Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 11, p. 49). Eerdmans.