Dec 23 - 1 Peter 1-3
1 Peter
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:May grace and peace be multiplied to you.3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,5who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,7so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.8Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.13Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,15but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,16since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."17And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,18knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.22Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,23since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;24for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,25but the word of the Lord remains forever."And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation--3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."7So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"8and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense."They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.10Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.13Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.18Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.19For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.20For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.23When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives--2when they see your respectful and pure conduct.3Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing--4but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands,6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.7Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.8Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.9Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.10For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."13Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?14But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,15but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;16yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,19in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,20because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.