The First Epistle general of PETER.

CHAP. I.

love; in whom, though now ye Of God's manifold spiritual grace. see him not, yet believing, ye ETER, an apostle of Jesus rejoice with joy unspeakable, Christ, to the strangers and full of glory: scattered throughout Pontus, 9 Receiving the end of your Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and faith, even the salvation of your Bithynia, souls.

2 Elect according to the fore- 10 Of which salvation the knowledge of God the Father, prophets have inquired and through sanctification of the searched diligently, who proSpirit, unto obedience and phesied of the grace that should sprinkling of the blood of Jesus come unto you: Christ: Grace unto you, and 11 Searching what, or what peace, be multiplied. manner of time the Spirit of

3 Blessed be the God and Christ which was in them did Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, signify, when it testified beforewhich, according to his abun-hand the sufferings of Christ, dant mercy, hath begotten us and the glory that should follow. again unto a lively hope by the 12 Unto whom it was revealresurrection of Jesus Christ from ed, that not unto themselves, but the dead, unto us they did minister the 4 To an inheritance incor-things which are now reported ruptible, and undefiled, and that unto you by them that have fadeth not away, reserved in preached the gospel unto you, heaven for you, with the Holy Ghost sent down

5 Who are kept by the power from heaven; which things the of God through faith unto salva-angels desire to look into. tion, ready to be revealed in 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,

the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, and hope to the end for the though now for a season (if need grace that is to be brought unto be) ye are in heaviness through you at the revelation of Jesus manifold temptations: Christ:

7 That the trial of your faith, 14 As obedient children, not being much more precious than fashioning yourselves according of gold that perisheth, though to the former lusts in your ignoit be tried with fire, might be rance:

found unto praise, and honour, 15 But as he which hath and glory, at the appearing of called you is holy, so be ye Jesus Christ: holy in all manner of conversa

8 Whom having not seen, yeļtion;

Exhortation to holiness.

CHAP. II.

Christ the corner-stone.

16 Because it is written, Be endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

ye holy; for I am holy.

CHAP. II.

To avoid uncharitableness.

WHEREFORE,

laying

aside all malice, and all

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 guile, and hypocrisies, and enthat ye were not redeemed with vies, and all evil-speakings, corruptible things, as silver and 2 As new-born babes, desire gold, from your vain conversa-the sincere milk of the word, tion received by tradition from that ye may grow thereby : your fathers; 3 If so be ye have tasted that 19 But with the precious the Lord is gracious: blood of Christ, as of a lamb 4 To whom coming as unto à without blemish and without living stone, disallowed indeed spot: of men, but chosen of God, and

up

20 Who verily was fore-or-precious, dained before the foundation of 5 Ye also, as lively stones, the world, but was manifest in are built up a spiritual house, these last times for you. a holy priesthood, to offer 21 Who by him do believe in spiritual sacrifices, acceptable God, that raised him up from to God by Jesus Christ. the dead, and gave him glory; 6 Wherefore also it is conthat your faith and hope might tained in the scripture, Behold, be in God. I lay in Sion a chief corner

22 Seeing ye have purified stone, elect, precious: and he your souls in obeying the truth that believeth on him shall not through the Spirit unto unfeign-be confounded.

ed love of the brethren, see that 7 Unto you therefore which ye love one another with a pure believe, he is precious: but unto heart fervently : them which be disobedient, the 23 Being born again, not of stone which the builders disalcorruptible seed, but of incor-lowed, the same is made the ruptible, by the word of God, head of the corner, which liveth and abideth for

ever.

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to

24 For all flesh is as grass, them which stumble at the word, and all the glory of man as the being disobedient: whereunto flower of grass. The grass wi-also they were appointed. thereth, and the flower thereof 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a

falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord holy nation, a peculiar people;

I. PETER.

Obedience to superiors. Christ our example. that ye should shew forth the 19 For this is thank-worthy, praises of him who hath called if a man for conscience toward you out of darkness into his mar- God endure grief, suffering vellous light: wrongfully.

10 Which in time past were not 20 For what glory is it, if, a people, but are now the people when ye be buffeted for your of God: which had not obtained faults, ye shall take it patiently? mercy, but now have obtained but if, when ye do well, and sufmercy. fer for it, ye take it patiently,

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech this is acceptable with God. you, as strangers and pilgrims, 21 For even hereunto were abstain from fleshly lusts, which ye called: because Christ also war against the soul; suffered for us, leaving us an 12 Having your conversation example, that ye should follow honest among the Gentiles: that, his steps:

visitation.

whereas they speak against you 22 Who did no sin, neither as evil-doers, they may by your was guile found in his mouth: good works, which they shall 23 Who, when he was reviled, behold, glorify God in the day of reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but 13 Submit yourselves to every committed himself to him that ordinance of man for the Lord's judgeth righteously: sake: whether it be to the king, 24 Who his own self bare our as supreme; sins in his own body on the tree,

14 Or unto governors, as unto that we, being dead to sins, them that are sent by him for should live unto righteousness: the punishment of evil-doers, by whose stripes ye were healed. and for the praise of them that 25 For ye were as sheep godo well. ing astray; but are now returned 15 For so is the will of God, unto the Shepherd and Bishop that with well-doing ye may put of your souls.

to silence the ignorance of fool

ish men:

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of malicious

CHAP. III.

Duty of wives and husbands. IKEWISE, ye wives, be in subjection to your own

ness, but as the servants of God. husbands; that, if any obey not 17 Honour all men. Love the the word, they also may without brotherhood. Fear God. Ho-the word be won by the convernour the king, sation of the wives;

18 Servants, be subject to your 2 While they behold your masters with all fear; not only chaste conversation coupled with to the good and gentle, but also fear.

to the froward

3 Whose adorning let it not

Exhortation to unity, holiness,

CHAP. III. and to suffer patiently. be that outward adorning of 12 For the eyes of the Lord plaiting the hair, and of wearing are over the righteous, and his of gold, or of putting on of ap- ears are open unto their prayers: parel; but the face of the Lord is

4 But let it be the hidden man against them that do evil. of the heart, in that which is not 13 And who is he that will corruptible, even the ornament of harm you if ye be followers of a meek and quiet spirit, which that which is good? is in the sight of God of great 14 But and if ye suffer for price. righteousness' sake, happy are

5 For after this manner in the ye; and be not afraid of their old time the holy women also, terror, neither be troubled; who trusted in God, adorned 15 But sanctify the Lord God themselves, being in subjection in your hearts: and be ready alunto their own husbands: ways to give an answer to every 6 Even as Sarah obeyed Abra-man that asketh you a reason of ham, calling him lord: whose the hope that is in you, with daughters ye are, as long as ye meekness and fear. do well, and are not afraid with 16 Having a good conscience, any amazement. that, whereas they speak evil

7 Likewise, ye husbands, of you, as of evil-doers, they may dwell with them according to be ashamed that falsely accuse knowledge, giving honour unto your good conversation in Christ. the wife, as unto the weaker ves- 17 For it is better, if the will sel, and as being heirs together of God be so, that ye suffer of the grace of life; that your for well-doing, than for evilprayers be not hindered. doing.

8 Finally, be ye all of one 18 For Christ also hath once mind, having compassion one of suffered for sins, the just for the another; love as brethren, be unjust, that he might bring us pitiful, be courteous : to God, being put to death in 9 Not rendering evil for evil, the flesh, but quickened by the or railing for railing: but contrariwise, blessing; knowing that

Spirit:

19 By which also he went ye are thereunto called, that ye and preached unto the spirits in should inherit a blessing.

prison;

10 For he that will love life, 20 Which sometime were disand see good days, let him re- obedient, when once the longfrain his tongue from evil, and suffering of God waited in the his lips that they speak no guile: days of Noah, while the ark 11 Let him eschew evil, and was a preparing, wherein few, do good: let him seek peace, that is, eight souls, were saved and ensue it. by water.

387

Exhortation to sobriety, &c. I. PETER,

Comfort under persecution,

21 The like figure whereunto, the flesh, but live according to even baptism, doth also now save God in the spirit. us, (not the putting away of the 7 But the end of all things 15 filth of the flesh, but the answer at hand: be ye therefore sober, of a good conscience toward and watch unto prayer. God,) by the resurrection of 8 And above all things have Jesus Christ: fervent charity among your.

22 Who is gone into heaven, selves: for charity shall cover and is on the right hand of the multitude of sins. God; angels, and authorities, 9 Use hospitality one to an and powers being made subject other without grudging.

unto him.

CHAP. IV.

10 As every man hath rẻ. ceived the gift, even so ministe the same one to another, as good then as stewards of the manifold grace

Of ceasing from sin.

FORASMUCH

Christ hath suffered for us of God.

in the flesh, arm yourselves 11 If any man speak, let him likewise with the same mind: speak as the oracles of God; if for he that hath suffered in any man minister, let him do it the flesh hath ceased from as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things

sin;

2 That he no longer should may be glorified through Jesus live the rest of his time in the Christ; to whom be praise and flesh to the lusts of men, but to dominion for ever and ever the will of God. Amen.

3 For the time past of our life 12 Beloved, think it not may suffice us to have wrought strange, concerning the fiery the will of the Gentiles, when trial which is to try you, as we walked in lasciviousness, though some strange thing hap lusts, excess of wine, revellings, pened unto you: banquetings, and abominable 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as idolatries: ye are partakers of Christ's suf 4 Wherein they think it ferings; that, when his glory strange that ye run not with shall be revealed, ye may be them to the same excess of riot, glad also with exceeding joy. speaking evil of 14 If ye be reproached for the 5 Who shall give account to name of Christ, happy are ye him that is ready to judge the for the Spirit of glory and of quick and the dead. God resteth upon you. On their 6 For, for this cause was the part he is evil spoken of, but on gospel preached also to them your part he is glorified. that are dead, that they might 15 But let none of you suffer be judged according to men inlas a murderer, or as a thief, or

you: