1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of *See James 1:1the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to *Acts 2:23;[Rom. 8:29;11:2] the foreknowledge of God the Father, *See 1 Thess. 4:3in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and *Heb. 10:22;12:24for sprinkling with his blood:

May *2 Pet. 1:2grace and *Dan. 4:1;Jude 2peace be multiplied to you.

3 *2 Cor. 1:3;Eph. 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! *Titus 3:5According to his great mercy, *ver. 23he has caused us to be born again to a living hope *ch. 3:21;[1 Cor. 15:20]through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to *Rom. 8:17an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and *[ch. 5:4] unfading, *[Col. 1:5;2 Tim. 4:8]kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded *Eph. 2:8through faith for a salvation *[ch. 5:10;Rom. 8:18;2 Cor. 4:17;Heb. 12:11]ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by *James 1:2;[ch. 4:12]various trials, 7 so that *James 1:3the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes *Job 23:10;Ps. 66:10;Prov. 17:3;Isa. 48:10though it is tested by *1 Cor. 3:13fire—may be found to result in *Rom. 2:7,10;1 Cor. 4:5;[2 Thess. 1:7-12]praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 *[1 John 4:20] Though you have not seen him, you love him. *[Heb. 11:27]; See John 20:29Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining *Rom. 6:22the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, *2 Pet. 1:19;[Dan. 8:15;Matt. 13:17;Luke 10:24]the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring *Dan. 9:24-26what person or time*1:11 Or what time or circumstances*Rom. 8:9;[2 Pet. 1:21]; See Acts 16:7the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating *See Matt. 26:24when he predicted *Isa. 52:13–53:12;Luke 24:26;Acts 3:18the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 *Dan. 12:4,9,13It was revealed to them that *[Matt. 13:17;Heb. 11:39,40] they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you *Acts 2:2-4by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, *[Dan. 8:13;12:5-7;Eph. 3:10]things into which angels long to look.

13 Therefore, *See Luke 12:35preparing your minds for action,*1:13 Greek girding up the loins of your mind and *ch. 4:7;5:8;1 Thess. 5:6,8;2 Tim. 4:5being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, *ch. 4:2,3;Rom. 12:2;Titus 3:3do not be conformed to the passions *Acts 17:30of your former ignorance, 15 but *1 John 3:3;[2 Cor. 7:1;1 Thess. 4:7;Heb. 12:14] as he who called you is holy, you also be holy *James 3:13in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, *Cited from Lev. 11:44"You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you *Jer. 3:19;Mal. 1:6;2 Cor. 6:18;[Matt. 6:9] call on him as Father who *See Ps. 62:12judges *See James 2:1impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves *ch. 3:15;2 Cor. 7:1;[Rom. 11:20]with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you *[Ps. 49:8;130:8;1 Cor. 6:20;Titus 2:14;2 Pet. 2:1] were ransomed from *See Eph. 4:17the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but *See Acts 20:28with the precious blood of Christ, like that of *See John 1:29a lamb *Heb. 9:14;[Ex. 12:5]without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but *See Rom. 16:26was made manifest *Heb. 1:2in the last times for the sake of you 21 *John 12:44who through him are believers in God, *[Rom. 10:9]; See Acts 2:24who raised him from the dead and *Acts 3:13;Heb. 2:9;[ch. 3:22]; See John 7:39gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for *Rom. 12:9;See Heb. 13:1a sincere brotherly love, *1 Tim. 1:5love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 *ver. 3;[John 3:3;James 1:18] since you have been born again, *John 1:13not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through *Heb. 4:12the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

*James 1:10,11;Cited from Isa. 40:6,8"All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

25 *[Matt. 24:35] but the word of the Lord remains forever."

And this word *Isa. 40:9is the good news that was preached to you.