1 Peter

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.

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

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.

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord"s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

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.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

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.

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;

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.

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,

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.

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.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

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:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

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:

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.

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

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;

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:

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.