¶ Peter¹, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the² strangers scattered³ throughout Pontus⁴, Galatia⁵, Cappadocia⁶, Asia⁷, and Bithynia⁸,

Elect⁹ according to the foreknowledge¹⁰ of God the Father, through sanctification¹¹ of the Spirit, unto¹² obedience and sprinkling¹³ of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace¹⁴ unto you, and peace, be¹⁵ multiplied.

¶ Blessed¹⁶ be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which¹⁷ according to his abundant¹⁸ mercy hath begotten us again unto¹⁹ a lively hope by²⁰ the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an²¹ inheritance incorruptible²², and undefiled²³, and that fadeth²⁴ not away, reserved²⁵ in heaven for you²⁶,

Who are kept²⁷ by the power of God through²⁸ faith unto²⁹ salvation ready³⁰ to be revealed in³¹ the last time.

¶ Wherein ye greatly³² rejoice, though now for³³ a season, if³⁴ need be, ye are³⁵ in heaviness through manifold³⁶ temptations:

That the trial³⁷ of your faith, being much more precious³⁸ than of gold that³⁹ perisheth, though it be tried⁴⁰ with fire, might⁴¹ be found unto praise and honour and glory at⁴² the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Whom having⁴³ not seen, ye love⁴⁴; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing⁴⁵, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable⁴⁶ and full⁴⁷ of glory:

⁴⁸Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

¶ Of which⁴⁹ salvation the prophets have enquired and⁵⁰ searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace⁵¹ that should come unto you:

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit⁵² of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings⁵³ of Christ, and the glory⁵⁴ that should follow.

Unto whom it⁵⁵ was revealed, that not⁵⁶ unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have⁵⁷ preached the gospel unto you with⁵⁸ the Holy Ghost sent⁵⁹ down from heaven; which things⁶⁰ the angels desire to look into.

¶ Wherefore gird⁶¹ up the loins of your mind, be sober⁶², and hope⁶³ to the end⁶⁴ for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient⁶⁵ children, not⁶⁶ fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in⁶⁷ your ignorance:

But as⁶⁸ he which hath called you is⁶⁹ holy, so⁷⁰ be ye holy in⁷¹ all manner of conversation;

⁷²Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And if ye call⁷³ on the Father, who⁷⁴ without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass⁷⁵ the time of your sojourning here in fear⁷⁶:

Forasmuch as ye⁷⁷ know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible⁷⁸ things, as silver and gold, from your vain⁷⁹ conversation received⁸⁰ by tradition from your fathers;

But with⁸¹ the precious blood of Christ, as⁸² of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

¶ Who verily⁸³ was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but⁸⁴ was manifest in⁸⁵ these last times for you,

Who by⁸⁶ him do believe in God, that raised⁸⁷ him up from the dead, and gave⁸⁸ him glory; that your⁸⁹ faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing ye have⁹⁰ purified your souls in⁹¹ obeying the truth through⁹² the Spirit unto⁹³ unfeigned love of the brethren, see⁹⁴ that ye love one another with a pure⁹⁵ heart fervently:

Being born⁹⁶ again, not⁹⁷ of corruptible seed, but⁹⁸ of incorruptible, by⁹⁹ the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

¶ For¹⁰⁰ 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:

But the word¹⁰¹ of the Lord endureth for ever. And this¹⁰² is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.