if you have experienced ¹  the Lord’s kindness. ² 

This brings you great joy, ¹  although you may have to suffer ²  for a short time in various trials.

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

You have purified ¹  your souls by obeying the truth ²  in order to show sincere mutual love. ³  So ⁴  love one another earnestly from a pure heart. ⁵ 

For you were going astray like sheep ¹  but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

You ¹  once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, ²  but now you have received mercy.

You ¹  have not seen him, but you love him. You ²  do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice ³  with an indescribable and glorious ⁴  joy,

like Sarah who obeyed ¹  Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children ²  when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. ³ 

But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed ¹  you may also rejoice and be glad. ² 

And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ ¹  will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ² 

Through Silvanus, ¹  whom I know to be a faithful brother, ²  I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify ³  that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. ⁴ 

For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians ¹  desire. ²  You lived then ³  in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, ⁴  and wanton idolatries. ⁵ 

They will face a reckoning before ¹  Jesus Christ ²  who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.

He ¹  himself bore our sins ²  in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning ³  and live for righteousness. By his ⁴  wounds ⁵  you were healed. ⁶ 

They were shown ¹  that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

Finally, all of you be harmonious, ¹  sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.

who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God ¹  with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. ² 

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling ¹  with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure! ² 

Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ¹  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ² 

Above all keep ¹  your love for one another fervent, ²  because love covers a multitude of sins. ³