¹Peter, an Apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to the elected ones among the scattered [Jews] living in Pontus, Galatia, CappaDokia, Asia Minor, and Bithynia... ²who, by the foreknowledge of The God and Father, and by the holiness of the Breath, are obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus the Anointed One...May loving care and peace be multiplied among you!³Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who according to His great mercy fathered within us the hope of life by resurrecting Jesus the Anointed One from the dead, ⁴so that an undying, incorruptible, and enduring inheritance will be reserved for you in the heavens.⁵Yes, you who are being guarded by faith through the power of God for a salvation that’s ready to be revealed in this final season, ⁶and in which you’re rejoicing.So, although you’re currently being grieved by various trials, ⁷understand that these things are happening to you in order to prove your faith, which is something that’s much more valuable than gold that’s refined and proven by fire, and so that you’ll be found to be a reason for praise, honor, and glory at the revealing of Jesus the Anointed One.⁸For even though you’ve never seen him, you’ve loved him..
And even though you can’t see him, you’ve believed in him and are rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy.⁹For it’s by this that you’re carrying off for yourselves the reward of the hope that’s bringing salvation to your lives!¹⁰And when it comes to this salvation, understand that the Prophets (those who prophesied that this loving-kindness would be shown to you) used to seek and search, ¹¹trying (through the spirit of the anointing that was in them) to determine the exact time and circumstances of the sufferings of the Anointed One, and of his being glorified…Yes, they knew about this even back then!¹²However, it wasn’t revealed to them as it has been to you, for they were just servants of the things that have now been revealed to you by those who proclaimed the good news to you through Holy Breath sent from heaven.Yes [at that time], even the messengers [of God] wanted to see these things!¹³As a result, prepare your minds to understand, and become perfectly sober when it comes to your hope of the loving kindness that’ll be manifested in you at the revelation of Jesus the Anointed One.¹⁴And as obedient children, don’t go back to being what you used to be by desiring ignorant things. ¹⁵Rather, like the Holy One who called you, become holy in all of your ways.¹⁶For it’s written:‘You must be holy, because I’m holy!’ [Leviticus 11:45, one of many places saying this]¹⁷So, if you’re calling this One your Father (someone who doesn’t discriminate, but judges each person by the things that they do), you should be living your lives in fear!¹⁸For you’ve got to recognize that the ransom, which was paid to release you from the worthless way of life that you learned from your fathers, wasn’t paid for with things that waste away like silver or gold.¹⁹Rather, it was paid for with the precious blood of a spotless and perfect lamb, the Anointed One! ²⁰And even though he was appointed^[Syr] before the founding of the cosmos, he’s been finally revealed during this period for your sakes... ²¹so that, through him, you could come to believe in The God who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so that you could put all your faith and hope in that God.²²Then, after you’ve purified your lives by [learning how to] obey the truth, you must also learn to love each other intensely…Yes – develop a sincere brotherly love for each other out of a pure heart!²³For you weren’t born again as seeds which are planted [in the ground] and will perish, but as something that, through the enduring Word of the living God, is now imperishable!²⁴[As it is written]:‘All flesh is like grass And its glory is like the flowers in a field. But although grass dries up and its flowers will drop, ²⁵God’s Word lasts throughout the ages.’ [Isaiah 40:8]Yes, these are the words that we’ve preached to you as good news.

¹Therefore, you must now get rid of all of your badness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slandering!²Then, like newborn babies, develop a taste for the pure milk of the Word, which will help you to grow to salvation… ³That is, if you have indeed tasted that the Lord is good.⁴Yes, you must approach him as though he’s a living block of stone that was for a fact rejected by men, but has been chosen as something precious by God.⁵Because, it’s upon him that you’re being built as living blocks into a Spiritual Temple and as a Holy Priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God, through Jesus the Anointed One.⁶For the Scripture says:‘{Look!} I am laying in Zion a select and precious cornerstone... And all who put faith in it will never be shamed.’ [Isaiah 28:16, LXX]⁷Therefore, you’ve put faith in this precious thing that others don’t believe in…‘The block that the builders rejected, but which has become the foundation cornerstone.’ [Psalm 118:22]⁸And,‘A stumbling block ... and snare’ [Isaiah 8:14 DSS; see note]...to those who stumble over the words because of the disobedient ways they’ve been appointed to.⁹And now you’ve become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people who were specially selected to announce the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light.¹⁰So, although you haven’t always been a nation, you’re now a nation of God!And although you once knew no mercy, you’re the ones who are now being shown mercy!¹¹My loved ones,I want to encourage you [Jews] who are [living as] foreigners and exiles not to indulge in the things that your bodies might crave and which fight a battle against the person who you are on the inside.¹²Yes, while you’re [living] among the other races, behave yourselves, so that when they condemn you and say bad things about you, they can see the good things that you’re doing and then glorify The God in the Day that He arrives for His inspection.¹³Also, you must obey every office that men have created through the Lord, regardless of whether the one who’s over you is a king, ¹⁴or [just] a governor who’s been sent [by the king] to punish criminals and to praise those who are doing good things.¹⁵Because, it’s God’s Will for you to do good things, so that you can put a muzzle on the ignorant accusations of unreasonable men.¹⁶And even though you’re a free people, as slaves of God, don’t use your freedom as a cover-up for doing bad things!¹⁷Rather, be respectful to everyone, love your brothers, fear God, and show special respect for the king.¹⁸Those of you who are household servants should obey and fear your masters… And not just those who are good and reasonable, but also those who are hard to please.¹⁹For if a person with a Godly conscience has to put up with the grief of having to suffer for something he didn’t do, it shows a lot of inner strength.²⁰So if you’re being slapped for something wrong that you didn’t do, and you [choose to] put up with suffering when you’ve only done good things, this shows your inner strength to God.²¹And for a fact, this is the [course] you were called to... Because, the Anointed One suffered on your behalf as an example, so that you’d follow in his tracks.²²‘He wasn’t guilty of any sin, ‘And his mouth didn’t speak any lies.’ [Isaiah 53:9]²³When they shouted bad things at him, he didn’t shout back. When he was suffering, he didn’t threaten anyone. He just left himself [in the hands of] the One who judges righteously.²⁴Then he...‘carried our sins’ [Isaiah 53:4, LXX]...on his body when he was hung on the tree. That’s when the sins died so that we could, thereafter, be counted as righteous.For,‘by his wounds, you were healed.’ [Isaiah 53:5]²⁵Yes,‘you were like sheep who had strayed’ [Isaiah 53:6]...but you’ve now returned to the shepherd who’s watching over your lives.

¹Also, you women should obey your [husbands], so that those who aren’t obeying the Word can be won over without words through your fine conduct – ²when they see the fear that you’re showing by being pure.³Don’t let your beauty come from fancy hairstyles, gold jewelry, or the way you arrange your clothes, ⁴but from what’s hidden in your hearts…Let it be the type of clean, quiet, and mild personality that’s valuable in the eyes of God!⁵Indeed, this is how holy women in the past who put their hope in God have been beautifying themselves… By obeying their husbands. ⁶So, just as SarAh used to obey AbraHam, calling him ‘Lord;’ you should become her children in doing good things, so you’ll have nothing to fear.⁷And you men should be wise when it comes to living with [your wives]… Treat them as you would a delicate vase, and show them the type of honor that should be shown to women who are fellow heirs of the gift of life, so it doesn’t affect your prayers.⁸And finally, you should all share the same attitude when it comes to being sympathetic, loving your brothers, caring for each other, being humble, ⁹and by not trying to get even or by trading insults. Rather, you should bestow blessings, since you were called to the Way so as to inherit blessings.¹⁰For,‘May those of you who love life, And want to see good days,‘Keep your tongues from saying bad things, And your lips from telling lies…¹¹‘Turn away from what’s bad and do what’s good, As you search for and chase after peace!¹²‘Jehovah watches out for the righteous, And He listens when they’re crying to Him… But Jehovah opposes those who are doing what’s bad.’ [Psalm 34:12-16a, LXX]¹³Therefore, who’ll treat you badly if you’re zealously doing what’s righteous?¹⁴And even if you should have to suffer for doing something righteous, you’ll be blest!So, don’t be afraid or even be bothered by such things!¹⁵Rather, make the Lord Anointed One holy in your hearts, and always be ready to make a defense before anyone who demands to know why you’ve got this hope.However, do it calmly... And with [Godly] fear.¹⁶Yes, keep a clean conscience so that anyone who may accuse you and speak out against you will be shamed by your fine conduct.¹⁷And remember that it’s better for you to suffer for doing something good (if that’s God’s will) than for doing something that’s bad.¹⁸For even the Anointed One died (once and for all time) over sins as someone who’s righteous on behalf of those who are unrighteous, so as to lead you to God.He was dead in the flesh, but alive in spirit, ¹⁹and he preached to the spirits who had been imprisoned ²⁰because of their disobedience during the time that God was patiently waiting for Noah to build the chest in which a few people (just 8 souls) were saved through the water.²¹And this is the same type of thing that’s saving you now: immersion. The purpose of which isn’t to get rid of the filth of the flesh, but to ask God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One, ²²who’s currently at God’s right hand in the heavens, where all of [God’s] messengers and all the authorities and powers must now obey him.

¹So, since the Anointed One had to suffer in the flesh, you should start thinking about fighting that same battle!For somebody who’s suffered in the flesh has stopped sinning ²and doesn’t live for human desires anymore... But [instead] to do the will of The God for the rest of his life in the flesh.³For a fact... Enough time has elapsed for you to have resolved the types of things that the gentiles desire, as they go their own immoral ways, following their desires, drinking too much wine, partying, getting drunk, and worshiping disgusting idols.⁴Then, because you don’t go along with them and follow them into the same deadly course down into the sewer, they slander you!⁵However, they’ll have to answer to the One who’s ready to judge both the living and the dead!⁶Indeed, this is why we’re preaching the good news to those who are the ‘dead’… So that, although they may be judged in the flesh, they can now start living to God in the spirit.⁷Therefore, since the end of everything has drawn closer, you should become more sensible and sober-minded when it comes to prayer.⁸And more than anything else, you should be reaching out to each other in love, because love covers a multitude of sins.⁹Yes, be hospitable to each other without grumbling! ¹⁰And, as each of you has received a gift, use [that gift] to serve each other as good managers of the abundant loving kindnesses of God, ¹¹so that whenever anyone speaks the Word of God, or whenever anyone serves through the strength that’s supplied by The God, He may be glorified by it all through Jesus the Anointed One…May He have glory and power throughout ages of ages!May it be so!¹²Loved ones,You shouldn’t think that it’s strange that there’s a ‘fire’ blazing among you and testing you, as if what’s happening to you is something that’s very unusual.¹³Rather, as you [find yourselves] sharing in the sufferings of the Anointed One, rejoice!Because, when his glory is revealed, you’ll once again be happy and cry out in joy!¹⁴For if you’re being slandered over the name of the Anointed One, you are truly blest, because [this proves that] God’s glory and Breath has come to rest upon you.¹⁵So, although none of you should ever have to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or for not minding your own business... ¹⁶if you’re suffering because of being a Christian, you should never be ashamed of it!Rather, you should keep on glorifying God in that name.¹⁷For the time of judgment has arrived… And it’s starting with the House of God!So if it’s starting with us first... How will those who don’t obey the good news of God end up?¹⁸‘For if the righteous are just barely being saved, Where will those who are godless and the sinners make a showing?’ [Proverbs 11:31, LXX]¹⁹Therefore, let those who are (by God’s will) suffering, gladly entrust their lives to the faithful Creator by doing whatever is good.

¹I encourage the elders among you (my fellow elders and witnesses of the sufferings of the Anointed One who’ll share in the glory that’s soon to be revealed) ²to shepherd the flock of God which has been entrusted to you.Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to!No, don’t do it to make a lot of money, but because you want to help!³And don’t [set yourselves up as] rulers over those who’ve been entrusted to your care; rather, become examples to the flock.⁴Then when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you’ll walk away with the enduring garland of glory!⁵And the same [is true] for you younger men – obey the elders!All of you should be humble before each other. In fact, tie humility around yourselves with knots!‘For God opposes those who think too much of themselves, While He’s kind to those who are humble.’ [Proverbs 3:34, LXX]⁶Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that He can eventually raise you to a higher position. ⁷Yes, throw all your worries upon Him, because He really cares about you!⁸Also, be serious and stay alert, because your accuser the Slanderer is roaming about like a roaring lion that’s looking for someone to swallow down.⁹Oppose him by taking a solid stand for the faith, and realize that the things you’re suffering in this system of things are also happening throughout the entire brotherhood…¹⁰And that the God of all loving kindness will call you to age-long glory in the Anointed Jesus.For after you’ve suffered a little while, on His behalf, He will prepare you, establish you, strengthen you, and firmly set your foundation!¹¹Yes, to Him be the power throughout the ages… May it be so!¹²I’m sending what I consider these few words that I wrote through Silvanus (a faithful brother) to encourage you and to testify to the fact that you’re standing in the true loving-care of The God.¹³The elected congregation in Babylon greets you, as does Mark (my son).¹⁴Greet each other with a kiss of love!Peace to all of you in the Anointed One.May it be so!