A Greeting from Peter
(2 Peter 1:1–2)

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the chosen sojourners of the Diaspora of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,† 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you⁺.

A Living Hope

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One according to His great mercy having begotten us again† to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ out from the dead, 4into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading, being kept in the heavens for you⁺, 5who are being guarded in the power of God through faith for the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6In this you⁺ exult, presently for a little while if it is being necessary, having been grieved by various trials, 7so that the proven genuineness of your⁺ faith, more precious than gold, which is perishing though being proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor† in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8whom, not having seen,† you⁺ love, in whom, presently not seeing yet believing, you⁺ exult with joy inexpressible and filled with glory, 9receiving the outcome of your⁺ faith, the salvation of your souls.

10Concerning this salvation the prophets sought out and searched out, those having prophesied concerning the grace unto you⁺, 11searching into what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them was making evident, testifying beforehand unto the sufferings of Christ and the glories after these, 12to whom it was revealed that they were ministering not to themselves but to you⁺† in these things, which now were proclaimed to you⁺ through those having proclaimed the gospel to you⁺ in the Holy Spirit having been sent from heaven, into which angels long to look.

A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)

13Therefore having girded up the loins of your⁺ mind,† being sober, hope completely upon the grace being brought to you⁺ in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14as children of obedience, not being conformed to the passions in your⁺ former ignorance. 15But according as the One having called you⁺ is holy, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct, 16because it has been written: “You⁺ shall be holy, because I am holy.”†

17And if you⁺ call on as Father the One judging impartially according to the work of each, conduct yourselves in fear in the time of your⁺ sojourn, 18knowing that were you⁺ redeemed from your⁺ futile conduct handed down from your fathers, not with perishable things—with silver or with gold— 19but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, 20having been foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but having been made manifest in the last times on account of you⁺, 21who through Him are believers in God, the One having raised Him out from the dead and having given Him glory, so as for your⁺ faith and hope to be in God.

The Enduring Word
(Isaiah 40:6–8)

22Having purified your⁺ souls in the obedience of the truth† unto unfeigned brotherly love, love one another earnestly, out of a pure heart,† 23having been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, by the word of God, living and abiding,† 24because,

“All flesh is like grass,

and all the glory of it† like a flower of grass.

The grass withered, and the flower fell off,

25but the word of the Lord remains to the age.Ӡ

And this is the word having been proclaimed as good news to you⁺.

Footnotes:

1 Or To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. These provinces were located in what is now Turkey.
3 Or having caused us to be born again
7 RP and TR praise and honor and glory
8 BYZ not having known
12 TR to us
13 Or Therefore prepare your minds for action
16 Leviticus 11:44–45; Leviticus 19:2
22 BYZ and TR include through the Spirit.
22 SBL, NE, and WH from the heart
23 BYZ and TR include forever.
24 BYZ and TR of man
25 Isaiah 40:6–8