God the Father knew you and chose you long ago. And get this: His Spirit has made you holy.
As a result, you have obeyed Him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more and more grace and peace.
We give all praise to God! He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Father. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. Are you ready for your glorified body?
Through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive the completion of your salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So always be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
If you find yourself in a challenging situation and that thing you called faith is nowhere to be found, rest assured that you just discovered what you thought was faith really wasn’t.
Genuine faith doesn’t run away from a challenge. It embraces every challenge with great confidence. Trials are simply a refining force for faith, just like fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
When your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
That’s right. Every time you remain strong through a trial, you are storing up rewards in heaven. I can only imagine how amazing those rewards will be.
I find it amazing that you love the Lord Jesus even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Amazing.
Our salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.
They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when He told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and His great glory afterward.
They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those of us who preach in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. The angels might even be more amazed with salvation than we are!
So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the complete fulfillment of your salvation. It will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
And remember that our heavenly Father does play games. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time here on earth as “temporary residents.” This is not your home.
For you know as well as I do that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.
And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days He has been revealed for your sake.
Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, gossip, and all ungodly talk.
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.
And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. That’s amazing in itself, but there’s more! You are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
Yes, your faith and the good things you do please God. Let that soak in.
In the scriptures, God says, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.”
Yes, you who trust Jesus recognize the honor God has given Him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”
And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Now that you’ve been born again, you have one simple assignment: show others the goodness of God. Give them a tangible experience of God’s goodness.
This is done by expressing the joy and peace that is within you. God’s goodness is also revealed through our generosity.
The world we know who we are by the way we love one another.
Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.
I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners in this world” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority. I’m talking about righteous authority that God established to punish those who do wrong and honor those who do right.
It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.
For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect human authority.
You who are employees must submit to your employers with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are idoitic or cruel.
For God is pleased when, conscious of His will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are punished for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.
He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
Seriously, even if your boss sucks, do what they tell you to do with a good attitude. Even if you are mistreated for doing right, don’t concern yourself with justice. Let God handle that for you.
We must be like Jesus. He did not concern Himself with revenge. He only what the Father told Him to do, whether He liked it or not.
He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed.
Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
On this topic of authority, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if your hubby refuses to obey God, your godly life will speak to them without any words.
They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent life..
So don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. Instead focus on the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
Your husband has this authority whether you like it or not. It’s a God-given assignment. But you have the option to accept his authority or not.
When you accept the authority of your husband, you are revealing that your trust is in God. When you reject your husband’s authority, you reveal that your trust is in yourself.
For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.
You are not responsible for what your husband does wrong. He will answer for that. You are responsible for what you do. Are you going to obey God by accepting your husband’s authority?
Alright, husbands, it’s your turn. You must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be physically weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life.
Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
That’s right, if you mistreat your wife, she won’t be the only one giving you the silent treatment. Don’t even expect your prayers to be answered when you are acting like a fool towards your wife.
Now that I’ve instructed husbands and wives, allow me to instruct the entire church.
All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing.
For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
If you want to live a peaceful life, it will only happen on purpose. Peace is always available, but many times you have to hunt it down and put in the work to keep it around.
Don’t forget how the scriptures say that the eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns His face against those who do evil.
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? Not many. But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it.
So don’t worry or be afraid of people who threaten you and gossip about you. Just let it go. Revenge belongs to the Lord. You have no reputation to maintain. Put yourself in the hands of our just God.
Worship Jesus as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do it in a gentle and respectful way.
Keep your conscience clear by living a holy life. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
So He went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept His authority.
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too.
For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.
But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.
That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead. They were destined to die like all people, but now they live forever with God in the Spirit.
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you.
Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.
Some of you are surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. From now on, you should expect it.
Be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.
Your trials are nothing in comparison to the eternal reward that awaits you. Keep your eyes on the completion of your salvation so you don’t get weighed down by these challenges.
If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by His name!
For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?
And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you.
And I hope you picked up the fact that your suffering comes from persecution, not the devil. If the devil is tormenting you, it’s only because you are not exercising your authority.
For satan is under your feet. Jesus has stripped him of all his power and made a shame of him openly. The spiritual principalities and powers know that Jesus is in charge, and you should, too.
Don’t put up with satan’s shenanigans. Resist that fool, and he will flee. He knows you have the authority to shut him down, but you have to use it. Otherwise, he will run all over you.
Now, a word to the elders. I, too, am an elder and a first-hand witness to the sufferings that come with serving Christ. And I, too, will share in His glory when He is revealed to the whole world.
As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
And church, I appeal to you to accept the authority of the elders. Dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
He is under your feet, but you have to keep him there. He doesn’t play by the rules unless you force him to. That’s why you must actively resist the devil. Push him back under you feet.
When it comes to persecution, you should remember that believers all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. Many parts of the world are much worse.
Why do we have to endure suffering? Because in His kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.
So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.
Don’t turn this light affliction into lifelong suffering. Don’t expect these things to last a lifetime. Instead, expect them only to last a little while and result in greater strength.
Many people turn what was meant to be a temporary, light affliction into a life of suffering. Don’t be like those people. Instead, let that challenge quickly refine your faith and move along.
From glory to glory. Setbacks are not in God’s plan for your life. Each challenge you face is an invitation to the next level of glory.
Don’t run from challenges. Press into them with great boldness and confidence. God will use every challenge to strengthen you.
And don’t you ever use these challenges as an excuse to stall out. We’re not waiting for a storm to pass. God’s waiting for us to command the storm.
The prophetic words we’ve received are not for the future, they are for now. God spoke to get us moving in the right direction.
If you want that prophecy to come true, you must start moving towards it. If we hold those things at arms length in the future, they’ll never come to pass.
Whatever the Lord as spoken to you, move towards it now. No more waiting. Now’s the time.
