1Pe 1 | HCSB | STEP | Peter , an apostle of Jesus Christ :To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia , Asia , and Bithynia , chosen

1 Peter 1

1 Peter

Greeting

1 Peter, ^a an apostle of Jesus Christ:To the temporary residents ^b dispersed ^{▼▼Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands who spoke Gk and were influenced by Gk culture.
,} ^d in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, ^{▼▼Asia: A Roman province that is now part of modern Turkey; it did not refer to the modern continent of Asia.}Asia, and Bithynia, ^f chosen ^g 2 according to the foreknowledge ^h of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit ⁱ for obedience ^j and for sprinkling with the blood ^k of Jesus Christ.May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A Living Hope

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^l According to His great mercy, ^m He has given us a new birth ⁿ into a living hope ^o through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ^p 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, ^q uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven ^r for you. 5 You are being protected by God’s power ^s through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ^t 6 You rejoice in this, ^{▼▼Or In this [fact] rejoice} though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials ^v 7 so that the genuineness of your faith ^w – more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire ^x – may result ^y in ^{▼▼Lit may be found for} praise, glory, and honor ^aa at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ^ab 8 You love Him, ^ac though you have not seen ^ad Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice ^ae with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your ^{▼▼Other mss read our, or they omit the possessive pronoun} faith, the salvation of your souls. ^{▼▼Or your lives}

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets ^ah who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances ^{▼▼Or inquired about the person or time} the Spirit of Christ ^aj within them was indicating when He testified in advance ^ak to the messianic sufferings ^{▼▼Or the sufferings of Christ
,} ^am and the glories ^an that would follow. ^{▼▼Lit the glories after that} 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you ^ap by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. ^aq Angels desire to look into these things.

A Call to Holy Living

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, ^{▼▼Lit Therefore, when you have the loins of your mind girded
,} ^as be serious ^at and set your hope ^au completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation ^av of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, ^aw do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you ^ax is holy, ^ay you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. ^{az
,} ^ba

17 And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially ^bb based on each one’s work, ^bc you are to conduct yourselves in fear ^bd during the time of your temporary residence. 18 For you know that you were ^{▼▼redemption/redeemed: The deliverance from bondage by a payment or ransom (Mk 10:45; 1Pe 1:18-19)}redeemed from your empty way of life ^bf inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ^bg 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, ^bh like that of a lamb ^bi without defect or blemish. 20 He was chosen ^{▼▼Or foreknown
,} ^bk before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times ^bl for you 21 who through Him are believers in God, ^bm who raised Him from the dead ^bn and gave Him glory, ^bo so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 By obedience to the truth, ^{▼▼Other mss add through the Spirit} having purified yourselves ^{▼▼Or purified your souls} for sincere love of the ^{▼▼brother(s): The Greek word adelphoi can be used as a reference to males only or to groups that include males and females. It is the context of each usage that determines the proper meaning.}brothers, love one another ^bs earnestly ^{▼▼Or intensely} from a pure ^{▼▼Other mss omit pure} heart, ^bv 23 since you have been born again ^bw – not of perishable seed ^bx but of imperishable – through the living and enduring word of God. ^by 24 For

All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory ^bz like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. ^{ca
,} ^cb

And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.