1:1Peter, an apostle of JesusChrist, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,Asia, and Bithynia, 1:2Electaccording to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctificationof the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
1:3Blessed be theGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundantmercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection ofJesus Christ from the dead, 1:4To an inheritance incorruptible,and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 1:5Who are kept by the powerof God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1:6Wherein ye greatlyrejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness throughmanifold temptations: 1:7Thatthe trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold thatperisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise andhonour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; inwhom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joyunspeakable and full of glory: 1:9Receiving the end of your faith,even the salvation of your souls. 1:10Of which salvation the prophetshave enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace thatshould come unto you: 1:11Searching what, or what manner oftime the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testifiedbeforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1:12Unto whom it wasrevealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister thethings, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached thegospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which thingsthe angels desire to look into. 1:13Wherefore gird up the loins ofyour mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to bebrought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1:14As obedient children, notfashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 1:15But as he which hathcalled you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 1:16Because it is written, Be yeholy; for I am holy. 1:17Andif ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth accordingto every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here infear: 1:18Forasmuch as yeknow that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silverand gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition fromyour fathers; 1:19But withthe precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and withoutspot: 1:20Who verily wasforeordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in theselast times for you, 1:21Whoby him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave himglory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 1:22Seeing ye have purified yoursouls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of thebrethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 1:23Being born again, not ofcorruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which livethand abideth for ever. 1:24Forall flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower ofgrass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 1:25But the word of the Lord endurethfor ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
2:1Wherefore laying asideall malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evilspeakings, 2:2As newbornbabes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 2:3If so be ye have tastedthat the Lord is gracious. 2:4To whom coming, as unto aliving stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, andprecious, 2:5Ye also, aslively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, tooffer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 2:6Wherefore also it is contained inthe scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect,precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 2:7Unto you therefore which believehe is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone whichthe builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 2:8And a stone of stumbling, and arock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, beingdisobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 2:9But ye are a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that yeshould shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknessinto his marvellous light: 2:10Which in time past werenot a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtainedmercy, but now have obtained mercy.
2:11Dearly beloved, Ibeseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts,which war against the soul; 2:12Having your conversation honestamong the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers,they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify Godin the day of visitation.
2:13Submit yourselves toevery ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king,as supreme; 2:14Or untogovernors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment ofevildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 2:15For so is the will of God, thatwith well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 2:16As free, and not usingyour liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants ofGod. 2:17Honour allmen. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 2:18Servants, be subject toyour masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, butalso to the froward. 2:19Forthis is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God enduregrief, suffering wrongfully. 2:20For 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, thisis acceptable with God. 2:21For even hereunto were ye called:because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye shouldfollow his steps: 2:22Who didno sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 2:23Who, when he was reviled, revilednot again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committedhimself to him that judgeth righteously: 2:24Who his own self bare our sins inhis own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live untorighteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 2:25For ye were as sheep goingastray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
3:1Likewise, ye wives,be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not theword, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of thewives; 3:2While they beholdyour chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3:3Whose adorning let it not be thatoutward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, orof putting on of apparel; 3:4But let it be the hiddenman of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even theornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God ofgreat price. 3:5For afterthis manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God,adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 3:6Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham,calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and arenot afraid with any amazement. 3:7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell withthem according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as untothe weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; thatyour prayers be not hindered. 3:8Finally, be ye all of onemind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, bepitiful, be courteous: 3:9Not rendering evil for evil, orrailing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye arethereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 3:10For he that will love life, andsee good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips thatthey speak no guile: 3:11Lethim eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 3:12For the eyes of the Lordare over the righteous, and his ears are open unto theirprayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
3:13And who is hethat will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 3:14But and if ye suffer forrighteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of theirterror, neither be troubled; 3:15But sanctify the Lord God in yourhearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every manthat asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness andfear: 3:16Having a goodconscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, theymay be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 3:17For it is better,if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evildoing. 3:18For Christ alsohath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bringus to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 3:19By which also he went andpreached unto the spirits in prison; 3:20Which sometime were disobedient,when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while theark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved bywater. 3:21The like figurewhereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting awayof the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towardGod,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and ison the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being madesubject unto him.
4:1Forasmuch then asChrist hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with thesame mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 4:2That he no longer shouldlive the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but tothe will of God. 4:3For thetime past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will ofthe Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine,revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4:4Wherein they think it strange thatye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil ofyou: 4:5Who shall giveaccount to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 4:6For for this cause was the gospelpreached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged accordingto men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
4:7But the end of allthings is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 4:8And above all things have ferventcharity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 4:9Use hospitality one toanother without grudging. 4:10As every man hath received thegift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards ofthe manifold grace of God. 4:11If any man speak, let himspeak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do itas of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may beglorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for everand ever. Amen.
4:12Beloved, think it notstrange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though somestrange thing happened unto you: 4:13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye arepartakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall berevealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 4:14If ye be reproached for the nameof Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God restethupon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he isglorified. 4:15But let noneof you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as anevildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 4:16Yet if any man suffer as aChristian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 4:17For the time iscome that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if itfirst begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obeynot the gospel of God? 4:18And if the righteous scarcely besaved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 4:19Wherefore let them that sufferaccording to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls tohim in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
5:1The elders which areamong you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferingsof Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 5:2Feed the flock of Godwhich is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not byconstraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 5:3Neither as being lordsover God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 5:4And when the chief Shepherd shallappear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5:5Likewise, ye younger, submityourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one toanother, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, andgiveth grace to the humble.
5:6Humble yourselvestherefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 5:7Casting all your care uponhim; for he careth for you. 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; becauseyour adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whomhe may devour: 5:9Whom resiststedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplishedin your brethren that are in the world. 5:10But the God of all grace, whohath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye havesuffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 5:11To him beglory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
5:12By Silvanus, afaithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly,exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein yestand. 5:13The church thatis at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; andso doth Marcus my son. 5:14Greet ye one another with a kissof charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. Authorized King James Version, originally published by Oxford Press, Oxford, 1769