3 May God, the father of our master Yeshua the messiah be blessed. He’s the one who, because of his incredible mercy, births us into living hope through the death and coming back to life of Yeshua the messiah. 4 Now we have an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or ruined and never diminishes. It’s kept in the heavens for you all 5 who are guarded through faith by God’s power, because salvation is ready to be revealed in the final age.

6 This salvation brings some happiness now, although offset by the sorrow of various trials that you all go through 7 in order that your faith will be purified by fire, like gold but even more precious because gold perishes. Then your faith will lead to praise and glory and honour when Yeshua the messiah is revealed, 8 the one you all love although you’ve never seen him. Yet you all believe and because of that you are more happy than you all can even show AND HAVING BEEN GLORIFIED, 9 you’ll receive the result of your faith which is the salvation of your souls.

10 The prophets wanted that salvation and searched for it, even while speaking about the grace which you all would experience. 11 They tried to discover which person or what time that the messiah’s spirit within them was telling them, having previously testified that the messiah would suffer but afterwards would be GLORIOUS. 12 It was shown to them that they weren’t just serving themselves but were serving you as they declared all the same things that have been preached to you all by the holy spirit who was sent from heaven. Even God’s messengers in heaven wanted to know more about those things.

13 So take this seriously and get your minds prepared, and putting your full hope on the grace that will be brought to you all by the revelation of Yeshua the messiah. 14 As people who want to obey, don’t conform to your earlier desires that came from your ignorance, 15 but just as God who called you is holy, your yourselves need to be holy in all your conduct, 16 [ref]because it’s been written that ‘you all will be holy because I am holy.’

17 As since you call on the father who impartially judges each person according to their actions, then continue to obey him even as you all live in foreign lands, 18 knowing that when you all were in slavery due to your poor conduct that you inherited from your ancestors, you weren’t bought out of that by payment of perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but by the precious blood of the messiah—the unblemished and spotless lamb. 20 He had been foreknown before the creation of the world, yet he was only revealed recently for the sake of all of you 21 who believe in God through him. God was the one who raised him from the dead and honoured him, so that your faith and hope would be in God.

22 Since your souls have been purified by obeying the truth, now you should love each other from your hearts and without hypocrisy. 23 You’ve been born again, not by some physical thing that will perish, but of indestructible material—God’s message that’s alive and lives on 24 because it’s written:[ref]

‘All flesh is like grass,

and the beauty of our bodies like its flower.

The grass will wither and its flower will drop

25 but the master’s message will last till the end of the age.’

And that’s the good message that has been preached to all of you.

2 So then, get rid of all malice and deceit, and hypocrisy and envy, and slander of others. 2 Just like newborn babies long for pure milk so they’ll grow, you all should cultivate a thirst for what will help you grow in your salvation, 3 [ref]since you’ve all tasted that the master is good.

4 As you all approach the living building-stone (which was rejected by humans yet chosen and honoured by God), 5 you are being built into a temple and joining a holy group of priests to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Yeshua the messiah, 6 [ref]because it’s written in the scriptures:

‘Look, I’m placing a building-stone in Tsiyyon/Zion,

the vital cornerstone that’s chosen and honoured,

and anyone who believes in him certainly won’t be disgraced.’

7 [ref]To all of you who believe, this cornerstone is valuable, but to those who don’t believe:

‘The building-stone which the builders rejected

ended up becoming the vital cornerstone.’

8 and he will be:[ref]

‘A stone that people stumble over

and a rock that upsets people.’

They stumble because they won’t believe in the message—this is what was appointed for them.

9 [ref]But all of you are a chosen tribe, a group of royal priests, a holy nation, a people that God has procured, so that you can tell others about the virtues of the one who called you all out of darkness and into his marvellous light. 10 [ref]Previously you all weren’t a people group, but now you’re the people of God—previously you all hadn’t been shown mercy, but now you have been.

11 Dear friends, I’m urging you all as travellers and foreigners to keep away from worldly temptations which are in a battle against your soul. 12 Even as you all live among atheists, maintain your good conduct so that when they slander you by calling you ‘evil’, at the time of God’s judgement they’ll have to honour God when they see your good behaviour.

13 Submit yourselves to every human authority because you all follow the master, whether it’s the king who rules, 14 or the governors that he sends to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 It’s God’s will that you all silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live as if you’re all free, but don’t use that freedom to cover up evil—use it as God’s slaves. 17 Honour others and be loving towards your fellow believers. Revere God as well as honouring the king.

18 You who are house-servants should respectfully obey your masters—not only the good and gentle ones, but also the crooked ones, 19 because God favours those who endure unjust hardships because of their godly consciences. 20 What good would it do if you were enduring being beaten because of doing evil? But if you endure suffering for doing good, then God would be pleased with your behaviour 21 because that’s what we’re called to because the messiah also suffered for all of you. He left an example for you, so that you all might follow in his steps: 22 [ref]he didn’t do evil or say anything that wasn’t true, 23 [ref]when he was insulted he didn’t retaliate, when he was persecuted he didn’t threaten but put his trust in the one who will judge everyone with true justice. 24 [ref]He sacrificed his own body on the stake for our sins, so that when we die to sin we can live for righteousness. By his wounds, you all were healed. 25 He did all that because you were like lost sheep, but now you all have returned to the shepherd and the overseer of your souls.

3 [ref]Similarly, women should be subject to their husbands, so that if any of them don’t believe the message, they’ll be won by the conduct of their wives even without hearing the message, 2 because they’ll be able to observe the pure conduct of their wives. 3 [ref]These women shouldn’t focus on outward appearances like the braids in their hair, or gold jewelry or expensive clothes, 4 but on the inner person with a gentle and quiet spirit that’s indestructible and which God considers precious. 5 That was how holy women in the past adorned themselves—those whose hope was in God 6 [ref]like Sarah who submitted to Abraham who you are all descended from. She called him ‘master’, doing good and without any worries.

7 [ref]Similarly men should live with their wives with understanding like you’d handle something more fragile. They should display honour to their fellow recipients of life-giving grace so that their prayers won’t be hindered.

8 Finally, everyone should be agreeable and sympathetic to others, kind and caring towards those around you, humble 9 and not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but rather be a blessing to others. You were called to do that so that you all can receive a blessing. 10 [ref]because it’s written:

‘The person wanting to enjoy life and see good days,

let their tongue cease from evil,

and their lips to not speak deceit.

11 Let them turn away from evil and do good,

let them look for peace and chase after it,

12 because the master’s eyes are on the righteous,

and his ears listen to their petition,

but the master turns his face away from those who do evil.’

13 Then who would mistreat you if you all become active at doing good, 14 [ref]but even if some of you do suffer because of your godliness, you will be blessed. Don’t be scared or disturbed because of your fear of them, 15 but revere the messiah as the master of your hearts. Always be ready to explain the hope that you all have if anyone asks, 16 but do it with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that if you’re accused falsely of doing evil, then it’ll be the ones who mistreat you all because of your good conduct in the message who will be disgraced. 17 Because it is better to do good and then, if God wills it, to suffer, than to do evil. 18 Because the messiah also died once for sin, i.e., the sinless one died for sinful people, so that he can bring you all past death onward to God. Although he experienced physical death, he had been given life in the spirit 19 and with that life he also went to the spirits in prison and preached to them— 20 [ref]those who had refused to believe. God had waited patiently in the time of Noah when the barge was being built yet only a few were saved. Eight of them were brought safely through the waters 21 which also represents how being immersed saved you all. It doesn’t remove the filth from your bodies, but cleans the conscience as you pledge to God through the resurrection of Yeshua the messiah, 22 who went to heaven and sat on God’s right, with God’s messengers and authorities and powers all under his authority.

4 Since the messiah suffered physically, you all also should cultivate the same intention, because anyone who suffers physically stops sinning 2 so that they can live their remaining physical lives obeying God’s will instead of worldly lusts 3 because enough time has been spent listening to worldly advice and having pursued immorality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and repulsive idolatry. 4 The unbelievers will be surprised that you’re all not joining them in that unrestrained, wild living and they’ll mock you, 5 but they will need to give an account for their actions to the one who is ready to judge both the living and the dead. 6 That’s why the good message was preached even to the dead, so that people might judge them by earthly standards

7 The end of everything is getting close, so make good decisions and be serious in prayer, 8 [ref]and more than anything, display genuine love to each other because love triumphs over many sins. 9 Show hospitality to each other without grumbling. 10 Whatever gift that each person has received, they should use it to serve the others as good managers of the various forms of grace that God has given us. 11 Anyone who shares wisdom that came from God or uses the strength that God has given them to serve others needs to be honouring God through Yeshua the messiah. He’s the one who deserves the honour and the power all through the ages.

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised as the fiery trials that you all will have to face as a test, as though it’s something unusual that’s happening to you, 13 but rather as you all share in the sufferings of the messiah, stay positive so that you will all be happy as you’re also glad to see his honour revealed. 14 You all will be blessed if you are derided in the name of the messiah because God’s spirit rests on you all—the spirit that honours him. 15 None of you should suffer persecution because you’re a murderer or a thief or a troublemaker or nosey-parker, 16 but if you suffer for being a follower of the messiah, then there’s no need to feel ashamed but instead be praising God in that name.

17 It’s time to begin judgement and to begin with God’s people, and if we’re judged first, what will the outcome be for those who refuse to believe in God’s good message? 18 [ref]Yes,

‘if it’s difficult for godly people to be saved,

what will it be like for the ungodly and for sinners.’

19 So for anyone who’s suffering according to God’s will, let them entrust the well-being of their souls to the faithful creator.

5 Because of that I am encouraging your elders as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of the messiah and also a partner in the GLORY that’s going to be revealed: 2 [ref]Carefully shepherd God’s people that you care for, not out of compulsion but willingly, listening to God, not greedily but enthusiastically, 3 not exercising dominance over them, but being examples for them. 4 Then when the chief shepherd returns, you all will receive the unfading crown of honour.

5 [ref]Similarly, you younger ones, take the advice of your elders, and all of you, show humility to each other because ‘God opposes those who’re proud, but displays grace to those who’re humble.’ 6 [ref]So humble yourselves under God’s might hand so that he might honour you at the right time. 7 Give all your concerns to him because he cares about you all.

8 Stay alert and keep watch. Your opponent, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, wanting to swallow you all up 9 but remain firmly in the faith and resist him, knowing that fellow believers all around the world experiencing similar sufferings are doing the same. 10 Then God, the source of all grace and the one who called you to his eternal GLORY in the messiah will prepare you all as you suffer a little, and will then strengthen you as you’re established. 11 May his ruling be powerful throughout all the ages. May it be so.

12 [ref]I have written this brief letter with the help of the faithful brother, Silvanus to encourage you all and to testify that God’s grace that you all accepted is true.

13 [ref]The chosen one in Babylon and my ‘son’ Mark send their greetings to you all. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.

May all of you who are united with the messiah experience God’s peace.