Day 75 of 365

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

²according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,

⁵who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,

⁷that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ-

⁸whom not having seen you love; in whom, though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory-

⁹receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

¹¹searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.

¹²To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

¹³Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ-

¹⁴as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,

¹⁵but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;

¹⁶because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."

¹⁷If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear:

¹⁸knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

¹⁹but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;

²⁰who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,

²¹who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

²²Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from a pure heart fervently:

²³having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding Word of God.

²⁴For, "All flesh is like grass, and all it's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;

²⁵but the word of the Lord endures forever." This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

¹Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

²as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,

³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

⁴coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

⁵You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶Because it is contained in Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed."

⁷For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who do not believe, "The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,"

⁸and, "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

¹⁰who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹²having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³Subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

¹⁵For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

¹⁷Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

¹⁸Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

¹⁹For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

²⁰For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,

²²who did not sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth."

²³Who, when he was cursed, did not curse back. When he suffered, did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;

²⁴who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by his stripes you were healed.

²⁵For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

¹In like manner, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any do not obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word;

²seeing your pure behavior in fear.

³Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing;

⁴but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

⁵For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

⁷You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

⁸Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, humble,

⁹not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; because to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For, "He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

¹¹Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

¹³Now who is he who will harm you, if you become zealous of that which is good?

¹⁴But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear, neither be troubled."

¹⁵But sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with humility and fear:

¹⁶having a good conscience; so that when they speak evil against you, they may be put to shame who slander your good manner of life in Christ.

¹⁷For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

¹⁸Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

¹⁹in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,

²⁰who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

²¹This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you-not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²²who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

¹We give thanks to you, God. We give thanks, for your Name is near. Men tell about your wondrous works.

²When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.

³The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.

⁴I said to the arrogant, "Do not boast!" I said to the wicked, "Do not lift up the horn.

⁵Do not lift up your horn on high. Do not speak with a stiff neck."

⁶For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.

⁷But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.

⁸For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out. Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.

⁹But I will declare this forever: I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

¹A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer doesn't listen to rebuke.

²By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.

³He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

⁴The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

⁵A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.

⁶Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

⁸The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

¹¹Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

¹³Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

¹⁹Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

²³An abundance of food is in poor people's fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

²⁵The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.