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A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation

^1 (C1)Peter, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, To those elect—both Jewish and Gentile believers who live as ^(C2)exiles, ^(C3)scattered throughout ^(C4)Pontus, ^(C5)Galatia, ^(C4)Cappadocia, ^(C4)Asia Minor, and ^(C6)Bithynia, ^(C7)who are chosen ^(VR1)2 according to the ^(C1)foreknowledge of God the Father by the ^(C2)sanctifying work of the Spirit to ^(C3)be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be ^(C4)sprinkled with His blood: ^(C5)May grace and peace that special sense of spiritual well-being be yours in increasing abundance as you walk closely with God. ^(VR1)

^3 (C1)Blessed gratefully praised and adored be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ^(C2)according to His abundant and boundless mercy has ^(C3)caused us to be born again that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose to ^(C4)an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the ^(C5)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ^(VR1)4 born anew into an ^(C1)inheritance which is imperishable beyond the reach of change and undefiled and ^(C2)unfading, ^(C3)reserved in heaven for you,⁵ who are being ^(C1)protected and shielded by the power of God ^(C2)through your faith for ^(C3)salvation that is ready ^(C4)to be revealed for you in the last time.^6 (C1)In this you rejoice greatly, even though now ^(C2)for a little while, ^(C3)if necessary, you have been distressed by ^(C4)various trials,⁷ so that the ^(C1)genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, ^(C2)even though tested and purified by fire, ^(C3)may be found to result in your praise and glory and honor at ^(C4)the revelation of Jesus Christ.^8 (C1)Though you have not seen Him, you ^(C2)love Him; and though you do not even see Him now, you believe and trust in Him and you greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy,⁹ receiving as ^(C1)the result the outcome, the consummation of your faith, the salvation of ^(F1)your souls.

^10 (C1)Regarding this salvation, the prophets who ^(C2)prophesied about the ^(C3)grace of God that was intended for you, searched carefully and inquired about this future way of salvation,¹¹ seeking to find out what person or what time ^(C1)the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He ^(C2)foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories destined to follow.¹² It was revealed to them that their services their prophecies regarding grace were not meant for themselves and their time, but for you, in these things the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ which have now been told to you by those who ^(C1)preached the gospel to you by ^(C2)the power of the Holy Spirit who was sent from heaven. Into these things even the ^(C3)angels long to look.

¹³ So ^(C1)prepare your minds for action, ^(C2)be completely sober in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert, fix your ^(C3)hope completely on the ^(C4)grace of God that is coming to you ^(C5)when Jesus Christ is revealed.¹⁴ Live as ^(C1)obedient children of God; do not ^(C2)be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ^(C3)ignorance before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation.¹⁵ But ^(C1)like the Holy One who called you, ^(C2)be holy yourselves ^(C3)in all your conduct be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage;¹⁶ because it is written, "^(C1)YOU SHALL BE HOLY (set apart), FOR I AM HOLY." ^(VR1)

¹⁷ If you ^(C1)address as Father, the One who ^(C2)impartially ^(C3)judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves ^(C4)in reverent fear of Him and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your ^(C5)stay on earth.¹⁸ For you know that you were not ^(C1)redeemed from your ^(C2)useless spiritually unproductive way of life inherited by tradition from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,¹⁹ but you were actually purchased with precious ^(C1)blood, like that of a sacrificial ^(C2)lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ. ^(VR1)20 For He was ^(F1)(C1)foreordained (foreknown) before ^(C2)the foundation of the world, but has ^(C3)appeared publicly in these last times ^(C4)for your sake²¹ and through Him you ^(C1)believe confidently in God the heavenly Father, who raised Him from the dead and ^(C2)gave Him glory, so that your faith and ^(C3)hope are centered and rest in God.

²² Since ^(C1)by your obedience to the truth you have ^(C2)purified yourselves for a ^(C3)sincere love of the believers, see that you love one another from the heart always unselfishly seeking the best for one another,²³ for you have been ^(C1)born again that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose ^(C2)not of seed which is perishable but from that which is imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting ^(C3)word of God.²⁴ For,

"^(C1)ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE GRASS WITHERS
AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

^25 (C1)BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER."
And this is ^(C2)the word the good news of salvation which was preached to you. ^(VR1)