1 Peter 1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
This letter comes from Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, and is sent to God's chosen people: exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
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.
You were chosen by God the Father in his wisdom, made holy by the Spirit, so that you might obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. May you have grace and peace more and more!
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,
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through his great mercy we have been born again and given a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
This inheritance is eternal, it never spoils or fades, and it is kept safe in heaven for you.
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Through your trust in him, God will protect you by his power until salvation arrives—the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the last day.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
So be glad about this, even though you may be sad for a short while as you endure various trials.
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:
These prove that your trust in God is genuine, just as fire is used to prove if gold is genuine—even though that too can be destroyed—and your faith is more valuable than gold! In this way your trust in God will be recognized and you will receive praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ appears.
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:
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you cannot see him now, you trust in him and you're filled with wonderful, indescribable happiness.
9 Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls.
Your reward for trusting in him is that you will be saved!
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:
It was this salvation that the prophets searched for and investigated when they spoke of the grace that was prepared for you.
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.
They tried to find out when and how this would take place, for the Spirit of Christ inside them spoke clearly about Christ's sufferings and glory to come.
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.
It was explained to them that they were not doing this for themselves, but for you—since what they spoke about you've now learned from those who shared the good news with you by the Holy Spirit that heaven sent. Even the angels are eager to find out about all this!
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;
Make sure your minds are in gear. Be clear-headed. Fix your hope exclusively on the grace you'll be given when Jesus is revealed.
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
Live like children that do what they're told. Don't allow yourselves to be shaped by your former sinful desires when you didn't know any better.
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Now you need to be holy in everything you do, just as the one who called you is holy.
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
As Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.”
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:
Since you call him Father, and recognize he judges everyone impartially based on what they do, take your time here on earth seriously, respecting him.
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;
You already know that you were not set free from your pointless way of living that you inherited from your forefathers by things that don't have lasting value, like silver or gold.
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
You were set free by the costly blood of Christ, who was like a lamb with no flaw or defect.
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
He was chosen before the world was created, but he was revealed in these last days for your benefit.
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.
Through him you trust in God who raised him from the dead, and glorified him, so that you could have confidence and hope in God.
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:
Now that you've dedicated yourselves by following the truth, love each other sincerely like a true family.
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (aiōn g165)
You've been born again, not the product of a mortal “seed,” but immortal, through the living, eternal word of God. (aiōn g165)
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:
For: “All people are like grass, and all their glory like wildflowers. The grass withers and the flowers fall.
