1st PETER
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¤1 °1 From Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ, to the Jews who live outside their homeland, scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, °2 to 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°3 Let 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 a living hope. °4 The inheritance that does not corrupt nor goes bad nor passes away was reserved to you in heavens, °5 since God’s power shall keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days. °6 There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials. °7 Thus 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. °8 You 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, °9 for you are reaching the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls. °10 This was the salvation for which the prophets so eagerly looked when, in days past, they foretold the favor of God with regard to you. °11 But they could only investigate when the Spirit of Christ present within them pointed out the time and the circumstances of this – the sufferings of Christ and the glories which would follow. °12 It was revealed to them that they were working not for themselves but for you. Thus, in these days, after the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, the Gospel’s preachers have taught you these mysteries which even the angels long to see. § Be holy°13 So, then,
let your spirit be ready. Be alert, with confident trust in the grace you will
receive when Jesus Christ appears. °14 Like
obedient children, do not return to your former life given over to ignorance
and passions. °15 Imitate the one who called you.
As he is holy so you, too, be holy in all your conduct, °16
since Scripture says:Be holy for
I am holy. °17 You call upon a Father who makes no distinction between persons but judges according to each one’s deeds; take seriously, then, these years which you spend in a strange land. °18 Remember that you were freed from the useless way of life of your ancestors, not with gold and silver °19 but with the precious blood of the Lamb without spot or blemish. °20 God, who has known Christ before the world began, revealed him to you in the last days. °21 Through him, you have faith in God who raised him from the dead and glorified him in order that you might put all your faith and hope in God. °22 In obeying the truth, you have gained interior purification from which comes sincere mutual love. Love one another, then, with all your heart, °23 since you are born again, not from mortal beings, but with enduring life, through the Word of God who lives and remains forever. °24 It is written:All flesh is grass and its glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower falls, °25 but the Word of the Lord endures forever.This Word is the Gospel which has been brought to you. § Christ is the cornerstone¤2 °1 So, give up
all evil and deceit, hypocrisy, envy and every kind of gossip. °2 Like newborn children, seek eagerly for the pure milk
of the Word that will help you grow and reach salvation. °3
Did you nottaste the goodness of the Lord?°4 He is the living stone rejected by people but chosen
by God and precious to him. °5 On drawing close to him, you also became living stones built into
a spiritual temple, a holy community of priests offering spiritual sacrifices
that please God through Jesus Christ. °6 Scripture
says:See, I lay in Zion a chosen and
precious cornerstone; whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. °7 This means honor for you who believed, but for unbelievers alsothe stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone°8 and it is a stone to stumble over, a rock which lays people low.They stumble over it in rejecting the Word, but the plan of God is fulfilled in this. °9 You are achosen 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. °10 At one stage you were no people,but now you areGod’s
people,you had not receivedhis
mercy,but now youhave been given
mercy. § Live a blameless life°11 Beloved, while you are strangers and exiles, I urge you not to indulge in selfish passions that wage war on the soul. °12 Live 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. °13 For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority: the king as chief authority, °14 the governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to encourage those who do good. °15 And God wants you to do good so that you may silence those fools who ignorantly criticize you. °16 Behave as free people but do not speak of freedom as a license for vice; you are free men and God’s servants. °17 Reverence each person, love your brothers and sisters, fear God and show respect to the emperor. °18 Servants must respect their masters, not only those who are good and understanding but also those who are difficult. °19 For there is merit in putting up with unprovoked suffering, for the sake of God. °20 What 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. °21 This is your calling: remember Christ who suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you may follow in his way. °22 Hedid no wrong and there was no deceit in his mouth.°23 He did not return insult for insult and, when suffering, he did not curse but put himself in the hands of God who judges justly. °24 He went to the cross burdened with our sins so that we might die to sin and live an upright life.For by his wounds you have been healed.°25 You were likestray sheep,but you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. § Duties of husbands and wives¤3 °1 In 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. °2 It will be enough for them to see your responsible and blameless conduct. °3 Do not be taken up with outward appearances: hairstyles, gold necklaces and clothes. °4 There is something more permanent that shines from within a person: a gentle and peaceful disposition. This is really precious in God’s eyes. °5 This was the way the holy women of the past dressed. They put their trust in God and were obedient to their husbands, °6 namely 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 not afraid. °7 Husbands, 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. If you do this, God will readily answer your prayers. °8 Finally, you
should all be of one mind: share each other’s troubles with mutual affection,
be compassionate and humble. °9 Do 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, and so you will receive the
blessing. °10 Forif you seek life and want to see happiness, keep your tongue from
evil and your mouth from speaking deceit. °11 Turn away from evil and do good; seek
peace and pursue it.°12 Becausethe Lord’s eyes are turned to the just and
his ears listen to their appeal. But the Lord frowns on evildoers. § Do not fear or be disturbed°13 Who can harm you if you devote yourselves to doing good? °14 If you suffer for the sake of righteousness, happy are you.Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed as they are,°15 butbless the LordChrist 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. °16 Keep your conscience clear so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your upright, Christian living. °17 Better to suffer for doing good, if it is God’s will, than for doing wrong. § Endure sufferings as Christ did°18 Remember how Christ died, once and for all, for our sins. He, the just one, died for the unjust in order to lead us to God. He died as humans do, but was raised to life by the Spirit, °19 and it was then that he went to preach to the imprisoned spirits. °20 They 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 water. °21 That was a type of the 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. °22 He has ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of God, having subjected the angels, Dominations and Powers. ¤4 °1 Given that Christ suffered in his human life, arm yourselves with this certainty: the one who suffers in his body has broken with sin °2 so as to spend the rest of his life following the will of God and not human passions. °3 You 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. °4 They now find it strange that you are no longer swept along with them in this ruinous flood, and they misinterpret it. °5 But they will be accountable to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. °6 The 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. °7 The end of all things is near; live wisely and spend evening time praying. °8 Above all, let your love for one another be sincere, for love covers a multitude of sins. °9 Welcome one another into your houses without complaining. °10 Serve one another with the gifts each of you received, thus becoming good managers of the varied graces of God. °11 If 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°12 My dear people, do not be surprised that you are being tested by fire. It is not an unusual occurrence. °13 Instead, you should be glad to share in the sufferings of Christ because, on the day his Glory is revealed, you will also fully rejoice. °14 You are fortunate if you are insulted because of the name of Christ, for the Spirit of glory rests on you. °15 I suppose that none of you should suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; °16 but if anyone suffers on account of being a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace; rather let this name bring glory to God. °17 The time of judgment has come and it begins with God’s household. If its beginning so affects us, what will be the end of those who refuse to believe in the Gospel? °18If the just one is barely saved, what will happen to the sinner and unbeliever?°19 So, then, if you suffer according to God’s will, entrust yourself to the faithful Creator and continue to do good. § Further admonitions¤5 °1 I 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. °2 Shepherd 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; °3 do not lord it over those in your care, rather be an example to your flock. °4 Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory. °5 In the same
way, let the younger ones among you respect the authority of the elders. All
of you, be humble in your dealings with each other, becauseGod opposes the proud but gives his grace
to the humble. °6 Bow down, then, before the power of God so that he will raise you up at the appointed time. °7 Place all your worries on him since he takes care of you. °8 Be sober and alert because your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. °9 Stand your ground, firm in your faith, knowing that our brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the world, are confronting similar persecutions. °10 God, 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. °11 Glory be to him forever and ever. Amen. °12 I 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 really present in all this. Hold on to it. °13 Greetings from the community in Babylon, gathered by God, and from my son, Mark. °14 Greet one another with a friendly embrace. Peace to
you all who are in Christ. The End. |