1This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.G4074G652G2424G5547G3927G1290G4195G1053G2587G773G2532G9782God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and 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 grace and peace.G1588G2596G4268G2316G3962G1722G38G4151G1519G5218G2532G4473G129G2424G5547G5485G5213G2532G1515G4129
The Hope of Eternal Life
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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,G2128G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G5547G3588G2596G846G4183G1656G313G2248G313G1519G2198G1680G1223G386G2424G5547G1537G34984and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.G1519G2817G862G2532G283G2532G263G5083G1722G3772G1519G52095And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.G3588G5432G1722G1411G2316G1223G4102G1519G4991G2092G601G1722G2078G25406So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.G1722G3739G21G737G3641G1487G1163G2076G3076G1722G4164G39867These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So 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.G2443G1383G5216G4102G4183G5093G5553G622G1223G1161G1381G4442G2147G1519G1868G2532G5092G2532G1391G1722G602G2424G55478You love him 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.G3739G1492G3756G1492G1492G25G1519G3739G737G3708G3361G1161G4100G21G5479G412G2532G13929The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.G2865G5056G5216G4102G4991G559010This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.G4012G3739G4991G4396G1567G2532G1830G3588G4395G4012G5485G1519G520911They 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.G2045G1519G5101G2228G4169G2540G4151G5547G3588G1722G846G1213G4303G3804G1519G5547G2532G1391G3326G502312They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached 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.G3739G601G3754G3756G1438G1161G2254G1247G846G3739G312G3568G312G5213G1223G2097G5209G1722G40G4151G649G575G3772G3739G32G1937G3879G1519
A Call to Holy Living
13So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.G1352G328G3751G5216G1271G3525G1679G5049G1909G5485G5342G5213G1722G602G2424G554714So 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.G5613G5218G5043G3361G4964G4386G1939G1722G5216G5215But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.G235G2596G2564G5209G40G2532G1096G846G40G1722G3956G39116For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."G1360G1125G1096G40G3754G1473G1510G4017And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land."G2532G1487G1941G3962G3588G678G2919G2596G1538G2041G390G5550G5216G3940G1722G540118For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.G1492G3754G3084G3756G3084G5349G694G2228G5553G1537G5216G3152G391G397019It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.G235G5093G129G5547G5613G286G299G2532G78420God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.G3303G4267G4253G2602G2889G1161G5319G1909G2078G5550G1223G520921Through 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.G3588G1223G846G4100G1519G2316G1453G846G1453G1537G3498G2532G1325G846G1391G5620G5216G4102G2532G1680G1511G1519G231622You 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.G48G5216G5590G1722G5218G225G1223G4151G1519G505G5360G25G240G1537G2513G2588G161923For 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.G313G3756G1537G5349G4701G235G862G1223G3056G2316G2198G2532G3306G1519G16524As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.G1360G3956G4561G5613G5528G2532G3956G1391G444G5613G438G5528G5528G3583G2532G438G846G160125But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.G1161G4487G2962G3306G1519G165G1161G5124G2076G4487G3588G2097G1519G5209
Dublin, OH
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