home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- I PETER:
-
-
- CHAPTER 1
-
-
- 1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered
- throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
-
- 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
- through 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, which
- according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a
- lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
-
- 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
- fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
-
- 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
- ready to be revealed in the last time.
-
- 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need
- be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
-
- 7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than
- of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
- found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
- Christ:
-
- 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him
- not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
- glory:
-
- 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your
- souls.
-
- 10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched
- diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
-
- 11. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ
- which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the
- sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
-
- 12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but
- unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto
- you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy
- Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to
- look into.
-
- 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope
- to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
- revelation of Jesus Christ;
-
- 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to
- the former lusts in your ignorance:
-
- 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in
- all manner of conversation;
-
- 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
-
- 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons
- judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your
- sojourning here in fear:
-
- 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
- corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
- conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
-
- 19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
- blemish and without spot:
-
- 20. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
- world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
-
- 21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the
- dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in
- God.
-
- 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
- through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that
- ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
-
- 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
- incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
- ever.
-
- 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the
- flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof
- falleth away:
-
- 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
- word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
-
-
- CHAPTER 2
-
-
- 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
- hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
-
- 2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
- ye may grow thereby:
-
- 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
-
- 4. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of
- men, but chosen of God, and precious,
-
- 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an
- holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to
- God by Jesus Christ.
-
- 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I
- lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
- believeth on him shall not be confounded.
-
- 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto
- them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders
- disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
-
- 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them
- which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they
- were appointed.
-
- 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy
- nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises
- of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
- light;
-
- 10. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people
- of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
-
- 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,
- abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
-
- 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that,
- whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good
- works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
- visitation.
-
- 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's
- sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
-
- 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the
- punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
-
- 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put
- to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
-
- 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of
- maliciousness, 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 a man for conscience toward God
- endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
-
- 20. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your
- faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and
- suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
-
- 21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
- suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
- steps:
-
- 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
-
- 23. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
- suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that
- judgeth righteously:
-
- 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
- that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by
- whose stripes ye were healed.
-
- 25. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto
- the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
-
-
- CHAPTER 3
-
-
- 1. Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;
- that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be
- won by the conversation of the wives;
-
- 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
-
- 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of
- plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of
- apparel;
-
- 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is
- not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
- which is in the sight of God of great price.
-
- 5. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also,
- who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto
- their own husbands:
-
- 6. Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
- daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with
- any amazement.
-
- 7. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to
- knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,
- and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your
- prayers be not hindered.
-
- 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of
- another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
-
- 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but
- contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that
- ye should 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 eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and
- ensue it.
-
- 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his
- ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is
- against them that do evil.
-
- 13. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that
- which is good?
-
- 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye:
- and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
-
- 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready
- always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of
- the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
-
- 16. Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of
- you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your
- good conversation in Christ.
-
- 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer
- for well doing, than for evil doing.
-
- 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
- the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in
- the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
-
- 19. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
- prison;
-
- 20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering
- of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
- wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
-
- 21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us
- (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of
- a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus
- Christ:
-
- 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
- angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
-
-
- CHAPTER 4
-
-
- 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,
- arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath
- suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
-
- 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the
- flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
-
- 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought
- the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts,
- excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable
- idolatries:
-
- 4. Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to
- the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
-
- 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the
- quick and the dead.
-
- 6. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that
- are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh,
- but live according to God in the spirit.
-
- 7. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober,
- and watch unto prayer.
-
- 8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves:
- for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
-
- 9. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
-
- 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the
- same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
- God.
-
- 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if
- any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God
- giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus
- Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
-
- 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
- which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto
- you:
-
- 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
- sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
- also with exceeding joy.
-
- 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye;
- for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part
- he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
-
- 15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or
- as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
-
- 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
- ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
-
- 17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house
- of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them
- that obey not the gospel of God?
-
- 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the
- ungodly and the sinner appear?
-
- 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God
- commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a
- faithful Creator.
-
-
- CHAPTER 5
-
-
- 1. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an
- elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
- partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
-
- 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
- oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for
- filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
-
- 3. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
- ensamples to the flock.
-
- 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a
- crown of glory that fadeth not away.
-
- 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea,
- all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with
- humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
- humble.
-
- 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,
- that he may exalt you in due time:
-
- 7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
-
- 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
- roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
-
- 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same
- afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the
- world.
-
- 10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his
- eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a
- while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
-
- 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
-
- 12. By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I
- have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the
- true grace of God wherein ye stand.
-
- 13. The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you,
- saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
-
- 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with
- you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
-