THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF
Peter
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, and 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.