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.

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

Now it was for this very purpose ¹  that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, ²  so that though ³  they were judged in the flesh ⁴  by human standards ⁵  they may live spiritually ⁶  by God’s standards. ⁷ 

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,

And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you ¹  – not the washing off of physical dirt ²  but the pledge ³  of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Through him you now trust ¹  in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

and maintain good conduct ¹  among the non-Christians, ²  so that though ³  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ⁴ 

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.

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

For ¹  who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

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

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 

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

In it ¹  he went and preached to the spirits in prison, ² 

So you who believe see ¹  his value, ²  but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the ³  cornerstone, ⁴ 

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:

but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,

He was foreknown ¹  before the foundation of the world but ²  was manifested in these last times ³  for your sake.

but the word of the Lord ¹  endures forever. ²  And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. ¹