A "Grain Of Wheat" Ministries publication

Translated by David W. Dyer

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The First Letter of Peter

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 1

1:1Peter, a sent one of Jesus the Anointed One, to the expatriates who have been dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia 1:2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and are being made holy by the Spirit and by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus the Anointed One, resulting in obedience to God. May your grace and peace be increased.

1:3May God be blessed, even the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who according to his great mercy generated his life in us, which gives us a living hope because of the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One from the dead. 1:4This life makes available to us an inheritance which is imperishable, pure, and perpetual, reserved in the heavens for us 1:5who are preserved through faith by the power of God for this salvation* which is ready to be unveiled in the last time.

*This “salvation” mentioned here is the unveiling of the “reserved inheritance” which is related to the glorification of our bodies at the coming of Jesus.

1:6This is something in which you exult, even though now for a short time it has been necessary for you to be distressed by various trials.

1:7These are necessary for the testing of your faith, which is more valuable than gold that will be destroyed and which is now being tested by fire but then will be presented as a motive for praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One appears.

1:8He is the one whom you are loving (although you haven’t seen him) and in whom you are believing, (even though he is not visible now) so that you rejoice greatly with inexpressible joy and celebration 1:9as you are obtaining the final objective of your faith, even the complete salvation of your souls.

1:10It was regarding this salvation that the prophets, who prophesied about this grace which would come to you, sought and searched diligently. 1:11They were seeking to understand what the circumstances would be or, to what period of time, the Spirit of the Anointed One which was upon them was pointing when he made known ahead of time, the sufferings in* the Anointed One and the glorious results which will be ours because of them.

*The Greek word “EIS” used here indicates the point entered into or reached. It does not mean “of.” It may be that this refers to our sufferings to enter into Him (See verses 1:6,7) and not to His sufferings on our behalf.

1:12To whom it was revealed that they didn’t minister these things to their own generation but to us, namely the things which now have been announced to you by those who proclaimed the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things which angels desire to look into.

1:13Therefore, having thoroughly prepared your mind, be circumspect and set your hope firmly on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus the Anointed One [the glorification of our bodies].

1:14Be obedient children, not conforming yourselves to your former carnal cravings as you did when you were in ignorance. 1:15But as he who is calling you is holy, you too be holy in every aspect of your living 1:16because it is written, “Become holy, since I am holy” (Lev 20:7).

1:17And if you call on him as Father, who will impartially judge each one according to what they have done, pass the time of your sojourning here in reverent fear. 1:18Do this knowing that you were not ransomed from your useless way of living, which you received from your ancestors, with perishable things such as silver or gold 1:19but with precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even the blood of the Anointed One.

1:20His sacrifice was indeed pre-planned before the world was established but was manifested in these last times for us. 1:21It is through him you are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him brilliant glory so that your faith and hope would be in God.

1:22Having your souls purified through your obedience to the truth resulting in sincere love of the brethren, love each other from a pure heart, fervently. 1:23You have been regenerated {have had God’s life born inside of you} not by perishable seed but by immortal seed: by God’s living word that exists eternally.

1:24For all humanity is like grass and all human glory is like the flowers of the grasses. The grass withers and its flowers fall off 1:25but the word of the Lord continues eternally. And this very same word is the good news which was proclaimed to you.

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 2

2:1Having put aside then all evil, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander, 2:2as newborn babies intensely crave the reasonable, unadulterated spiritual milk so that by it you may grow to full salvation 2:3since you have experienced that the Lord is good.

2:4He is the One we have come forward to worship as a living stone, on the one hand rejected by men but, on the other hand, chosen and precious to God. 2:5You, also, as living stones are being built up into a spiritual dwelling place for God and to be a holy priesthood which offers up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus the Anointed One. 2:6Therefore, it is included in the scriptures, “Look, I set in place in Zion a chosen and valued keystone and he who is believing on him will not be disgraced” (Is 28:16).

2:7Therefore, for you who are believing, it is of supreme value; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected was made the keystone of the arch,” 2:8and, “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense,” (Ps 118:22; Is 8:14) for they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may display through your lives the virtuous character of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light – 2:10who in past times were not a people group but now are the people of God, who had not experienced mercy but now have experienced true mercy.

2:11Beloved, I appeal to you as sojourners and pilgrims, to keep your distance from carnal cravings which fight against {degrade} the soul, 2:12thus having exemplary behavior among the Gentiles so that even if they slander you as people who are evil, they may glorify God in the day of divine inspection because of your good works which they have seen.

2:13Be subject to all human governments for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme 2:14or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do evil and commend those who do good. 2:15For it is the will of God that by doing good you would silence the ignorance of foolish men. 2:16Live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what is wrong, but live as slaves of God.

2:17Honor all men. Love the brethren. Fear God. Honor the sovereign ruler. 2:18Slaves, be in subjection to your masters with all reverence, not only to the good and lenient, but also to the perverse. 2:19For it is acceptable, if for the sake of their conscience before God, someone endures affliction, suffering unjustly. 2:20For why would anyone praise you if, when you err and are punished for it, you endure it? But if, when you do what is right and suffer for it and you take it patiently, this is pleasing to God.

2:21For you were called to this since the Anointed One also suffered for you, giving you an example so that you should follow in his steps. 2:22He never sinned and neither was deceit found in what he said. 2:23When he was criticized, he did not reply with verbal abuse and when he suffered he didn’t retaliate but he yielded himself to him who judges righteously.

2:24He himself carried our sins in his body upon the wooden beam so that we, becoming dead to sins, could live out his righteousness. It is by his welts from beatings that you are delivered from sin. 2:25For you were like wandering sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and watchman of your souls.

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 3

3:1In the same way, you wives yield yourselves to your own husbands so that even if some refuse to be persuaded by the word, they may without a word be won over by the behavior of their wives: 3:2by seeing your pure behavior coupled with reverence.

3:3Let them (the wives) not be seeking attention by trying to make themselves more attractive on the outside with fancy hairdos, gold jewelry, or beautiful clothes, 3:4but let their true beauty be that which is hidden in their hearts, the incorruptible adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is extremely precious in God’s eyes.

3:5For this is the way the holy women from the past who put their trust in God also adorned themselves, being yielded to their own husbands, 3:6just as Sarah submitted to Abraham calling him “master.” Similarly, you are now Sarah’s “children” if you do what is right and are not carried away by any uncontrolled emotions.

3:7You husbands, in a similar way, live with your wife with understanding since she is the weaker, feminine vessel and value her highly since you also are co-heirs of the grace of God’s life so that your prayers are not limited.

3:8Finally, all of you live in harmony, be compassionate, having brotherly love, being tender-hearted and friendly, 3:9not returning evil for evil or slander for slander but, on the contrary, blessing, for you were called to this so that you would inherit a blessing.

3:10For: “He who desires to enjoy his life and see good days, let him stop his tongue from speaking evil about others and his lips from uttering deceit” (Ps 34:12-16). 3:11“Let him turn away from evil and do good” (Ps 37:27). Let him seek peace and run after it. 3:12For the eyes of the Lord look favorably on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is turned against those who practice evil.

3:13And who is he who will treat you badly if you become imitators of that which is good? 3:14But even if you do suffer for living virtuously, you are blessed! And don’t be afraid of their threats or be anxious.

3:15But venerate the Anointed One as your Master in your hearts, always being ready with gentleness and reverence to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you.

3:16Maintain a clear conscience so that whatever bad things people might say about you – criticizing the way you live in the Anointed One as if you were someone who practiced evil – may be proven wrong. 3:17For it is better, if it is the will of God for you to suffer, to suffer for doing good rather than for doing evil.

3:18For the Anointed One also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that he might bring us to God. Indeed his physical body was put to death but was restored to life by the Spirit, 3:19through which he also went and preached to the imprisoned spirits of 3:20those who were disobedient in the days of Noah. That was when God waited patiently while the ark was being prepared in which very few – only eight souls – were saved through the water.

3:21This is also an accurate picture of how our immersion {baptism} into the Anointed One is now saving us. This does not mean washing dirt off of the body but earnestly seeking to have a clear conscience toward God through the [death and] resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One operating in us.

3:22He is the One now occupying the place of supreme honor and authority with God, having gone into the heavens and having had angels, authorities, and powers put into submission to him.

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 4

4:1Since the Anointed One suffered while in the body, prepare yourselves also with the same mindset, for he who is suffering in the flesh is made to desist from sin 4:2so that you no longer should live the rest of your time in this body following human lusts, but doing the will of God.

4:3For we already wasted enough time in our past life practicing the base desires of the Gentiles: involving ourselves in unrestrained sexual activities, carnal cravings, drunkenness, orgies, drunken feasts, and worshipping idols which violates God’s law.

4:4Now they are surprised that you don’t run together with them in the same outpouring of carnality and, therefore, speak evil of you. 4:5These will have to give an answer to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 4:6For this purpose the good news message was even proclaimed to the dead so that, on the one hand, they might be judged as men concerning their carnal nature but, on the other hand, have the life which comes down from God in their spirits.

4:7But the end of all things is approaching. Therefore, exercise self-control and be diligent in prayer. 4:8Above all things be fervent in your love among yourselves, for love covers a great number of sins. 4:9Show hospitality to each other without grumbling. 4:10As each one has received a gift from God, use it to serve the others as good stewards of the many faceted grace of God.

4:11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracle of God. If anyone serves, it should be with the ability which God gives so that God would be glorified in everything through Jesus the Anointed One, whose is the glory and the dominion for the ages of the ages. Amen.

4:12Beloved, don’t consider it strange that the burning fire has come to test you as though something abnormal was happening to you.

4:13But to the extent that you are participating in the Anointed One’s sufferings, be glad so that when his glory is revealed, you also may rejoice with joyful exultation [since you will be glorified with him].

4:14If others speak badly about you for the name of the Anointed One, you are blessed because the glory of God and the Spirit of God rest upon you. 4:15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or as a meddler in other people’s affairs. 4:16But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he shouldn’t be ashamed, but let him praise God for having a part in the Anointed One’s sufferings.

4:17For the time has come for judgment to begin in the house of God. And if it begins first with us, what will be the end of those who are disobeying the good news message of God? 4:18And if the righteous are being saved with great difficulty, where will the ungodly and sinner end up?

4:19Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God also entrust their souls to a faithful Creator by doing what is right.

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 5

5:1The older, spiritually mature brothers among you I exhort – I who am also such a fellow brother and a witness of the sufferings of the Anointed One and also a participant in the glory which is about to be revealed – 5:2care for the flock of God which is among you, looking after them not because you have to, but willingly. Don’t do this as a way to make money but with a good attitude, 5:3not by exercising any control over the others but by becoming examples to the flock.

5:4And then at the appearing of the Chief Shepherd, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away. 5:5In the same way, let the younger ones yield to the

older ones. In fact, all of you should be clothed with humility and yield to each other. For God arrays himself in battle against the proud but gives grace to the humble.

5:6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you at the right time. 5:7Be casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 5:8Be sober; be watchful. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. 5:9Stand against him firmly in the faith, knowing that your brethren in other parts of the world are experiencing the same sufferings as you are.

5:10And the God of all grace – the One who calls you into his eternal glory in the Anointed One, Jesus – after you have suffered a “little while” will himself prepare you, support you, strengthen you, and establish you. 5:11To him be the glory and the dominion for all eternity. Amen.

5:12This letter was written down for me by Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother. I have written this short letter to you, instructing you and testifying about what the true grace of God is. Stand firmly in it.

5:13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings and so does Mark my son. 5:14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you who are in the Anointed One.

Words in this translation found in italics are words which are implied by the Greek text but do not represent actual words in the Greek text. This practice is common in almost all modern translations. Occasionally, this translator has added words to the translation which represent his own ideas and opinions which, although they are based on his own biblical understanding, are not part of the actual Greek text. Such words are enclosed in brackets, like this [ ]. The reader should understand these words as being the opinion of the translator. In contrast to this, the words in these braces { } indicate legitimate, alternative translations or explanations. Words within parentheses () are part of the original Greek text. Such parentheses are often used in other New Testament translations also. 

End of The First Letter of Peter

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