You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy.

For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.

in that he spends the rest of his time on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires.

And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners?

Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.

And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock.

And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand

The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you, and so does Mark, my son.

They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.

Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

So you who believe see his value, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,

For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians desire. You lived then in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, and wanton idolatries.

And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

if you have experienced the Lord’s kindness.

and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.

when they see your pure and reverent conduct.