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The First Epistle General of Peter

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- Chapter 1 -

(2 Peter 1:1–2)
1
Peter, Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the newly-arrived elect of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,(a)
2
in accord with the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, with the obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied for you.

A Living Hope

3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead:
4
unto an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance, which is reserved for you in heaven.
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By the power of God, you are guarded through faith for a salvation which is ready to be revealed in the end time.
6
In this, you should exult, if now, for a brief time, it is necessary to be made sorrowful by various trials,
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so that the testing of your faith, which is much more precious than gold tested by fire, may be found in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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For though you have not seen him, you love him. In him also, though you do not see him, you now believe. And in believing, you shall exult with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
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returning with the goal of your faith, the salvation of souls.
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About this salvation, the prophets inquired and diligently searched, those who prophesied about the future grace in you,
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inquiring as to what type of condition was signified to them by the Spirit of Christ, when foretelling those sufferings that are in Christ, as well as the subsequent glories.(b)
12
To them, it was revealed that they were ministering, not for themselves, but for you those things which have now been announced to you through those who have preached the Gospel to you, through the Holy Spirit, who was sent down from heaven to the One upon whom the Angels desire to gaze.

A Call to Holiness

(Hebrews 12:14–17)
13
For this reason, gird the waist of your mind, be sober, and hope perfectly in the grace that is offered to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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Be like sons of obedience, not conforming to the desires of your former ignorance,
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but in accord with him who has called you: the Holy One. And in every behavior, you yourself must be holy,
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for it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am Holy.”
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And if you invoke as Father him who, without showing favoritism to persons, judges according to each one’s work, then act in fear during the time of your sojourning here.
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For you know that it was not with corruptible gold or silver that you were redeemed away from your useless behavior in the traditions of your fathers,
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but it was with the precious blood of Christ, an immaculate and undefiled lamb,
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foreknown, certainly, before the foundation of the world, and made manifest in these latter times for your sake.
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Through him, you have been faithful to God, who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope would be in God.

The Enduring Word

(Isaiah 40:6–8)
22
So chastise your souls with the obedience of charity, in fraternal love, and love one another from a simple heart, attentively.
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For you have been born again, not from corruptible seed, but from what is incorruptible, from the Word of God, living and remaining for all eternity.
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For all flesh is like the grass and all its glory is like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away.
25
But the Word of the Lord endures for eternity. And this is the Word that has been evangelized to you.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 This letter is to the Christians who were formerly Jews, especially those living away from Jerusalem.(Conte)
(b)1:11 The Greek word ‘kairos’ is translated here as ‘tempus.’ In Greek ‘chronos’ refers to time as in the time of day or a length of time; but kairos is used for the more abstract idea of opportunity or conditions or timing, as in the English expression ‘the right time.’ So the translation here is not that the Prophets were seeking to know the date of the arrival of Christ, but rather what condition and circumstances would bring the Messiah. So tempus is translated as condition.(Conte)
(2 Peter 1:1–2)
1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,(a) to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Living Hope

3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4
to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,
5
who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials,
7
that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
8
whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,
9
receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently. They prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11
searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed to when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow them.
12
To them it was revealed that they served not themselves, but you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

A Call to Holiness

(Hebrews 12:14–17)
13
Therefore prepare your minds for action.(b) Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
14
as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
15
but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior,
16
because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”(c)
17
If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear,
18
knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
19
but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ,
20
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake,
21
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

The Enduring Word

(Isaiah 40:6–8)
22
Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,
23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
25
but the Lord’s word endures forever.”(d) This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
(b)1:13 literally, “gird up the waist of your mind” or “put on the belt of the waist of your mind”
(c)1:16 ℘ Leviticus 11:44-45
(d)1:25 ℘ Isaiah 40:6-8
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