Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.

For it says in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes in him will never be put to shame.”

So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God’s sight,

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

who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.

And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.

In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”

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

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.

but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.

Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

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.

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed – not by perishable things like silver or gold,

and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.

So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: