1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 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:
18 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;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 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.
22 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:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 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:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Must-Read Christian Books
Knowing God
A classic that helps believers move from knowing about God to truly knowing Him in a personal and biblical way.
View on Amazon
Mere Christianity
Lewis lays out the core beliefs of the Christian faith with clarity, logic, and imagination, rooted in Scripture.
View on Amazon
Holiness
A rich, pastoral treatment of sin, sanctification, and the fight for holiness in the Christian life, deeply rooted in Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Cost of Discipleship
A penetrating look at Jesus' call to follow Him, contrasting cheap grace with true, costly discipleship.
View on Amazon
The Cross of Christ
A profound exploration of the meaning and power of the cross at the center of Christian faith and life.
View on Amazon
Chosen by God
A clear, pastoral explanation of biblical election and God's sovereignty in salvation.
View on Amazon
Basic Christianity
A timeless introduction to who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him according to Scripture.
View on Amazon
Respectable Sins
Exposes the "ordinary" sins Christians often tolerate and calls us to gospel-driven holiness.
View on Amazon
Spurgeon on the Christian Life
A portrait of Charles Spurgeon's Christ-centered theology and joyful piety.
View on Amazon
The Universe Next Door
Surveys competing worldviews and contrasts them with the Christian view of reality.
View on Amazon
Delighting in the Trinity
A joyful, readable introduction to the triune God and why His tri-unity is good news.
View on Amazon
Gentle and Lowly
Meditates on Christ's heart for sinners and sufferers from key biblical texts.
View on Amazon
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
Shows how the gospel frees us from self-obsession to live in joy and service.
View on Amazon
The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment
Teaches believers how to distinguish truth from error using Scripture.
View on Amazon
Operation World
A prayer handbook with up-to-date information on nations and their gospel needs.
View on Amazon
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Biblical parenting that aims at a child's heart, not just outward behavior.
View on Amazon