The First Book of Peter, Chapter 1 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers
dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia, elect,
2 According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, unto the
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you
and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to his great mercy hath regenerated us unto
a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead,
4 Unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
can not fade, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who, by the power of God, are kept by faith unto
salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein you shall greatly rejoice, if now you must be for
a little time made sorrowful in divers temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith (much more precious than gold
which is tried by the fire) may be found unto praise and
glory and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, you love: in whom also now, though
you see him not, you believe: and believing shall rejoice
with joy unspeakable and glorified;
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of
your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and
diligently searched, who prophesied of the grace to come
in you.
11 Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ
in them did signify: when it foretold those sufferings
that are in Christ, and the glories that should follow:
12 To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to
you they ministered those things which are now declared to
you by them that have preached the gospel to you, the Holy
Ghost being sent down from heaven, on whom the angels
desire to look.
13 Wherefore having the loins of your mind girt up, being
sober, trust perfectly in the grace which is offered you
in the revelation of Jesus Christ,
14 As children of obedience, not fashioned according to the
former desires of your ignorance:
15 But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be
you also in all manner of conversation holy:
16 Because it is written: You shall be holy, for I am holy.
17 And if you invoke as Father him who, without respect of
persons, judgeth according to every one's work: converse
in fear during the time of your sojourning here.
18 Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things
as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the
tradition of your fathers:
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
unspotted and undefiled,
20 Foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but
manifested in the last times for you,
21 Who through him are faithful in God, who raised him up
from the dead, and hath given him glory, that your faith
and hope might be in God.
22 Purifying your souls in the obedience of charity, with a
brotherly love, from a sincere heart love one another
earnestly:
23 Being born again not of corruptible seed, but
incorruptible, by the word of God who liveth and remaineth
for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass; and all the glory thereof as
the flower of grass. The grass is withered, and the
flower thereof is fallen away.
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is
the word which by the gospel hath been preached unto you
The First Book of Peter, Chapter 2
1 Wherefore laying away all malice, and all guile, and
dissimulations, and envies, and all detractions,
2 As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile,
that thereby you may grow unto salvation:
3 If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.
4 Unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by
men, but chosen and made honourable by God:
5 Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house,
a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold, I lay in
Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that
shall believe in him, shall not be confounded.
7 To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them
that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected,
the same is made the head of the corner:
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them
who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto
also they are set.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a
holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his
virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light:
10 Who in time past were not a people: but are now the
people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have
obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,
to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war
against the soul,
12 Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that
whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by
the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify
God in the day of visitation.
13 Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's
sake: whether it be to the king as excelling;
14 Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of the good:
15 For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put
to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but
as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour
the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not
only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a
man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if committing sin, and being
buffeted for it, you endure? But if doing well you suffer
patiently; this is thankworthy before God.
21 For unto this are you called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should
follow his steps.
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
23 Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he
suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to him
that judged him unjustly.
24 Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree:
that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by
whose stripes you were healed.
25 For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now
converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls
The First Book of Peter, Chapter 3
1 In like manner also let wives be subject to their
husbands: that if any believe not the word, they may be
won without the word, by the conversation of the wives.
2 Considering your chaste conversation with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be the outward plaiting of the
hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of
apparel:
4 But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptibility of
a quiet and a meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of
God.
5 For after this manner heretofore the holy women also, who
trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to
their own husbands:
6 As Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters
you are, doing well, and not fearing any disturbance.
7 Ye husbands, likewise dwelling with them according to
knowledge, giving honour to the female as to the weaker
vessel, and as to the co-heirs of the grace of life: that
your prayers be not hindered.
8 And in fine, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one
of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful,
modest, humble:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but
contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called,
that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak
no guile.
11 Let him decline from evil, and do good: let him seek
after peace and pursue it:
12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his
ears unto their prayers: but the countenance of the Lord
upon them that do evil things.
13 And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of
good?
14 But if also you suffer any thing for justice' sake,
blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be
not troubled.
15 But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready
always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of
that hope which is in you.
16 But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that
whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who
falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God)
to suffer, than doing ill.
18 Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for
the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to
death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,
19 In which also coming he preached to those spirits that
were in prison:
20 Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for
the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was
a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were
saved by water.
21 Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you
also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but
the examination of a good conscience towards God by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22 Who is on the right hand of God, swallowing down death,
that we might be made heirs of life everlasting: being
gone into heaven, the angels and powers and virtues being
made subject to him
The First Book of Peter, Chapter 4
1 Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh, be you also
armed with the same thought: for he that hath suffered in
the flesh, hath ceased from sins:
2 That now he may live the rest of his time in the flesh ,
not after the desires of men, but according to the will of
God.
3 For the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will
of the Gentiles, for them who have walked in riotousness,
lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and
unlawful worshipping of idols.
4 Wherein they think it strange, that you run not with them
into the same confusion of riotousness, speaking evil of
you.
5 Who shall render account to him, who is ready to judge the
living and the dead.
6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to the
dead: that they might be judged indeed according to men,
in the flesh; but may live according to God, in the
Spirit.
7 But the end of all is at hand. Be prudent therefore, and
watch in prayers.
8 But before all things have a constant mutual charity among
yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.
9 Using hospitality one towards another, without murmuring,
10 As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one
to another: as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak, as the words of God. If
any man minister, let him do it, as of the power, which
God administereth: that in all things God may be honoured
through Jesus Christ: to whom is glory and empire for
ever and ever. Amen.
12 Dearly beloved, think not strange the burning heat which
is to try you, as if some new thing happened to you;
13 But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice
that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be
glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be
blessed: for that which is of the honour, glory, and
power of God, and that which is his Spirit, resteth upon
you.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or
a railer, or a coveter of other men's things.
16 But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him
glorify God in that name.
17 For the time is, that judgment should begin at the house
of God. And if first at us, what shall be the end of them
that believe not the gospel of God?
18 And if the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall
the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will
of God, commend their souls in good deeds to the faithful
Creator.
The First Book of Peter, Chapter 5
1 The ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech, who
am myself also an ancient, and a witness of the sufferings
of Christ: as also a partaker of that glory which is to
be revealed in time to come:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of
it, not by constraint, but willingly, according to God:
not for filthy lucre's sake, but voluntarily:
3 Neither as lording it over the clergy, but being made a
pattern of the flock from the heart.
4 And when the prince of pastors shall appear, you shall
receive a never fading crown of glory.
5 In like manner, ye young men, be subject to the ancients.
And do you all insinuate humility one to another, for God
resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace.
6 Be you humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in the time of visitation:
7 Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you.
8 Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as
a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.
9 Whom resist ye, strong in faith: knowing that the same
affliction befalls your brethren who are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his
eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a
little, will himself perfect you, and confirm you, and
establish you.
11 To him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
12 By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I think, I
have written briefly: beseeching and testifying that this
is the true grace of God, wherein you stand.
13 The church that is in Babylon, elected together with you,
saluteth you: and so doth my son Mark.
14 Salute one another with a holy kiss. Grace be to all you,
who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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