THE FIRST EPISTLE

OF THE

APOSTLE PETER.

I. PETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, whom God the Father, according to his predetermina2 tion hath chosen, that by a sanctification of spirit they may obey, and be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ; favour be to you, and may peace be multiplied.

3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath regenerated us 4 to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead-for an inheritance incorruptible, incapable of defilement or decay, reserved in heaven for us who are, during belief, kept safely by the power of God, for a deliverance prepared to be 5 revealed in the last time; in whom you exult with joy though 6 you are now for a little while, if it be necessary, distressed

with divers trials; in order that your faith, which hath stood 7 the test and is much more precious than gold which is of a perishable nature though tried by fire, may be found praise worthy, and honourable, and glorious, at the manifestation of Jesus Christ, whom without knowing him personally you 8 love; in whom though you do not now see him, yet you

believe, and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorified joy, 9 receiving as the completion of your faith the salvation of 10 your souls about which salvation the prophets, who pro

phesied concerning this favour for you, made diligent inquiry 11 and search, trying to find to what time, and what manner of

time, the spirit of Christ within them pointed, when it testified before hand the sufferings which were for Christ, and

2 the glories which should succeed them: to whom it was revealed that it was not for themselves, but for us, that they dispensed those things which have now been announced to you by them who proclaimed to you the glad tidings with a holy spirit sent from heaven; into which things angels have an earnest desire to look narrowly.

13

Wherefore having girded up the loins of your understanding, being perfectly sober, keep your hope fixed on the favour 14 to be conferred on you at the manifestation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves in conformity to your former desires during your ignorance; but as he who 15 hath called you is holy, be ye also holy in the whole course 16 of your life; for it is written, "Be ye holy, because I am 17 holy.*" And since you invoke, as father, him who without

respect of persons judgeth every one according to his work, 18 pass the time of your sojourning in fear; knowing that from that vain course of life, handed down to you from your fathers, you have been redeemed not with perishable things such 19 as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as

of a lamb without blemish and without spot, fore-ordained in20 deed before the foundation of the world, and manifested in 21 these last times, for the sake of you who by him believe in God, who hath raised him from the dead, and hath given him glory, so that you may have faith and hope in God. 22 Having, in obedience to the truth, purified your souls by the spirit for an unfeigned brotherly affection, love one ano23 ther fervently with a pure heart, as you have been born again not of corruptible but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which liveth and endureth forever.

24 "Because all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as 25 a flower of grass-the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth, but the decree of the Lord endureth forever,t" and this is the decree which hath been proclaimed as glad tidings for you; therefore laying aside all malice, and all deceit, 2 and every kind of hypocrisy, envy and slander, like new-born

II.

*Lev. 11. 44: 19. 2.

Es. 40. 6.

3 G

VOL. IV.

babes desire the pure milk of the word that by it you may thrive.

3 Since you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whom 4 you are come as to a living stone, by men indeed rejected, 5 but with God chosen and precious, and you yourselves as

living stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood 6 to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ; on which account also there is in the scripture this passage," Behold I lay in Sion a chosen, precious, chief corner stone, and he who confideth in it, shall not be ashamed,* 7 this honour then being for you who believe: but to the disbelieving, "the 'stone, which the builders rejected-that 8 which was for the head of the corner,t" is indeed a stone of

stumbling and a rock of offence. They disbelieving the word 9 stumble at the thing for which they were laid: but you being a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people peculiarly set apart that you may publish the praises of him who 10 called you out of darkness into his marvellous light-you who formerly were not a people but are now the people of Godwho were uncompassionated, but are now compassionated 11 beloved; I beseech you as strangers and sojourners to abstain 12 from carnal lusts, which war against the soul: let your beha viour among the nations be virtuous, that when they speak against you as evil doers, they who have been eye-witness es may from your good works glorify God in the day of vi

13

sitation.

Be subject therefore to every human establishment for the 14 Lord's sake, whether to a king as supreme, or to governor

as persons sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and 15 for the praise of them who do well. For it is the will of God

that you should by such good behaviour curb the ignoranc 16 of foolish men. As freemen, but not like those who use thei 17 freedom as a cover for wickedness, but as servants of God honour all men, love the brotherhood; fear God; honour th king.

18

You who are servants, be subject to your masters with a 19 reverence, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the mo

Es. 28. 16. + Ps. 118. 22.

rose. For this is pleasing, if from a conscientious regard to God one endureth grief suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when you commit a fault and are beaten, you suffer patiently? But if when acting well you meet with ill usage, and bear it, this is well-pleasing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ himself suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps, who committed no sin, nor was guile found in his mouth--who when he was reviled, did not revile again, when he suffered, did not threaten; but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously; who himself offered up our sins in his own body on the cross, that we, being freed from those sins, might live for righteousness; "by whose stripes you have been healed.*" For you were like sheep going astray, but are now brought back to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

In like manner ye wives, be subject to your own husbands, that if any of them disbelieve the word they may by the deportment of their wives, without a word, be won over, when they see your reverential, chaste behaviour. And let your adorning be, not that which is external by plaiting the hair with appendages of gold, nor finery of dress; but the hid den man of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a meck and quiet spirit, which is highly precious in the sight of God. For thus, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves, submitting to their husbands, (as Sarah, whose daughters you are, obeyed Abraham, calling him lord) doing what was right, and alarmed by no terror.

Likewise ye husbands cohabit with your wives, paying respect to them as the weaker sex, and moreover as co-heirs with you of the grant of life, that there may be no impediment to your prayers.

Finally, be all of one mind, sympathising with one another, full of brotherly love, compassionate, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, revile for revile; but on the contrary, blessing; knowing that you have been called for this, that you may inherit a blessing.

* Es. 53. 5.

10

11

12

13

For "whoever desireth life; and loveth to see good days;
Let him keep his tongue from evil,

And his lips from speaking guile;
Let him depart from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.

Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And his ears are open to their prayers:

But the face of the Lord is against them who do evil.*" Who then will hurt you if you be imitators of him who is 14 good? But if you should even suffer on the account of righte

ousness, you are happy. Be not terrified with the fear of them, 15 nor dismayed; but sanctify the Lord in your hearts+” and be always prepared, in answer to every one who demandeth of you a reason for the hope which is in you, to make a defence 16 with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that when they speak against you as evil doers, they who calumniate 17 your good conversation in Christ may be put to shame. For if it be the will of God that you should suffer, it is better that you should suffer as well doers than as evil doers.

18

Because Christ himself suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God: being indeed put to death in flesh, but brought to life by that spirit with 19 which he went, and to the spirits which are [now] in prison 20 made proclamation at the time they were disobedient-when

the long suffering of God was waiting once for all in the days of Noe, while the ark was a building, in which a few, that is 21 eight souls, made their escape during the flood; an antitype to which, namely baptism, (not a removal of the filth of the flesh, but an earnest conscientious application to God) doth now save us also, by means of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who, having gone to heaven, is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

IV. Christ therefore having suffered in flesh for us, arm ye 2 yourselves with this reflection, that he who hath suffered in flesh hath been stopped from sin, to the end that he may no

Literally, a request or application of a good conscience.