built up a spiritual house for
a holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable
to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore, it is contained

Is. xxvii. 16. in scripture, "Behold, I lay "in Sion a chief corner stone, "chosen, and precious: and he “who believeth on him shall "not be confounded :”

c. i. 18.

7 its preciousness, therefore, is to you who believe; but, to those who disbelieve, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the headstone of a corner;

8 and a tripping-stone, and rock of stumbling, to those who stumble by disbelieving the word to which they, also, had been appointed.

9 But, ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation; a people specially purchased, that ye should proclaim the excellencies of him who hath called you, out of darkness, into his marvellous light: 10 who formerly were not his people, but now are a people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11 Beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 having your conversation upright among the Gentiles : that, while they speak against you as evildoers, they may,

in beholding your good works, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Tim. ii. 1.

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's Rom. xiii. I. sake: whether to the king, as being supreme;

14 or to governors, as to those sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, but, for the praise of them that do well :

15 for, so is the will of God, that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men :

16 as free, yet not using your freedom for a cloak of evil, but as servants of God:

17 honour all men: love the brotherhood: fear God: honour the king.

18 Ye who are servants, be subject to your masters with all reverence; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward:

19 for, this is thankworthy, if any one endure grief for conscience toward God, suffering wrongfully;

20 for, what praise is it, if, when ye transgress and are smitten, ye bear it patiently? but if, when ye do well and suffer, ye bear it patiently, this is acceptable to God:

21 for, to this ye are called, because Christ also suffered for you; leaving you a pattern, that ye should follow in his steps,

22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him who judgeth justly:

24 who himself bare our sins, in his own body, on the tree, that we, being discharged from our sins, may live in justification by whose wound, ye are healed.

25 Ye had strayed, as sheep; but ye are now turned back to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

CHAPTER III.

LIKEWISE, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any of them believe not the word, they may, without the word, be gained by the conduct of their wives,

2 while they behold your chaste and respectful conduct : 3 whose womanhood, let not consist in the outward adornment of braiding the hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel;

4 but rather, in that which is hidden in the heart; in the incorruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price:

5 for so also, in former time, the holy women, who trusted in God, adorned themselves,

14 and fear not their terror; but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts.

15 And be always ready, with

powers being made subject to

him.

CHAPTER IV.

an answer to every one who asketh of you a reason of the hope that is in you:

16 holding a good conscience; that, in that in which ye are slandered, they who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ, may be shamed.

17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, to suffer for well doing, than for evil doing:

18 for, even Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being made to die in the flesh, but to live in the Spirit,

19 in which, also, he went forth, and gave warning to the spirits now in prison;

20 which, in former time, believed not, when the longsuffering of God waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing; in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water:

21 whose antitype, baptism, (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) now also saveth us, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels, and authorities, and

suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves, also, with the same mind;

2 for, he who hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sins, that he should no longer live the remainder of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For, the time past of your c. i. 18. life sufficeth to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries;

tile Converts.

4 in which, they think it strange that ye run not with i. e. the Genthem still, to the same excess of riot; and speak evil of you:

5 who will render account to him that is ready to judge the living, and the dead.

6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached to them, also, that are now dead; that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but might live according to God, in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be prudent, therefore, and watch unto prayer;

8 and, above all things, have constant love among yourselves; for, love will cover a multitude of sins.

9 Be ye hospitable one to another, without murmuring: 10 according as each hath received bounty, let them administer the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold favour of God:

11 if any one speak, let him speak according to the oracles of God; if any one minister, let him do so as from an ability which God supplieth: that, in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!

12 Beloved, be not amazed at the fire which is kindled among you for your trial, as if some strange thing happened to you; 13 but, so much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may also rejoice with exceeding joy.

14 If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, ye are blessed, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you;

15 but, let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a meddler in as a meddler in the concerns of them that are without:

16 yet, if he suffer as being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but, let him glorify God in that Name.

17 For, it is now the time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and, if it begin first

with us, what will be the end of those who disbelieve the gospel of God?

18 and, if the justified be scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear? 19 Wherefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls in well doing to Him, as to a faithful Creator.

CHAPTER V.

THEREFORE, their fellow-elder, and a witness. of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, exhort the elders that are among you: 2 feed the flock of God, Acts, xx. 28. ye which is among you; watching over it, not as by constraint,

but willingly;
but willingly; not for base
gain, but with a ready mind;
3 and, when the chief Shep-
herd shall appear, ye will re-
ceive the never-fading crown
of glory.

4 Likewise, ye that are younger, submit yourselves to your elders; and let all be subject one to another; and be ye clothed with humility, for, "God resisteth the proud, but Prov. iii. 34. "giveth grace to the humble :" 5 humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due season; casting all your care on him, for he careth for you.

6 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary, the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour you :

7 whom resist, steadfast in the faith; knowing, that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world:

8 and, the God of all grace, who hath called you to his eternal glory by Christ, after ye have suffered a little while, will himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you.

9 To him is dominion for ever! Amen!

10 I have written to you in few words by Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I account him); exhorting, and testifying, that this, in which ye stand, is the True Grace of God.

11 The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, saluteth you; also, my son Mark. 12 Salute ye one another, with

a kiss of love. Peace be with you all, who are in Christ!