The first Chapter.
Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ, to them that dwell here and there as
strangers thorow out, Pontus, Galacia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bethinia,
elect by the foreknowledge of God the father, thorow the sanctifying of
the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ.
Grace be with you, and peace be multiplied.
Blessed be God the father of our lord Iesus Christ, which thorow his
abundant mercy begat us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection
of Iesus Christ from death, to enjoy an inheritance immortal, and
undefiled, and that putrifieth not, reserved in heaven for you which
are kept by the power of God thorow faith, unto health, which health is
prepared allready to be shewed in the last time, in the which time ye
shall rejoice, though now for a season (if need require) ye are in
heaviness, thorow many fold temptations, that your faith once tried
being much more precious than gold that perisheth (though it be tried
with fire) might be found unto laud, glory, and honour, when Iesus
Christ shall appear: whom ye have not seen and yet love him, in whom
even now, though ye see him not, yet ye believe, and rejoice with joy
ineffable, and glorious: receiving the end of your faith, the health of
your souls. Of which health, have the prophets enquired, and sought,
which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching
when, or at what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should
signify, which spirit testified before, the passions that should come
unto Christ, and the glory that should follow after: unto which
prophets it was declared, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they
should minister the things which are now shewed unto you, of them which
by the holy ghost sent down from heaven, have preached unto you the
things which the angels desire to behold.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and trust
perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you, in that Iesus Christ
is opened, as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves unto your
old lusts of ignorance: But as he which called you is holy, even so be
ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written: Be ye
holy, for I am holy.
And if so be that ye call on the father which without respect of person
judgeth according to every man's works, see that ye pass the time of
your pilgrimage in fear. For as much as ye know how that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible gold and silver from your vain conversation,
which ye received by the traditions of the fathers: but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled, and without spot,
which was ordained before the world was made: but was declared in the
last times for your sakes, which by his means have believed on God that
raised him from death, and glorified him, that ye might have faith and
hope toward God.
And for as much as ye have purified your souls thorow the spirit, in
obeying the truth for to love brotherly without feigning, see that ye
love one another with a pure heart fervently: for ye are born a new,
not of mortal seed, but of immortal seed, by the word of God which
liveth, and lasteth for ever, because that all flesh is as grass, and
all the glory of man is as the flower of grass, the grass is withered,
and the flower is faded away, but the word of the lord endureth ever.
And this is the word which by the gospell was preached among you.
The .ij. Chapter.
Wherefore lay a side all maliciousness, and all guile, and
dissimulation, and envy, and all backbiting: and as new born babes,
desire that reasonable milk which is without corruption, that ye may be
grown therein. If so be that ye have tasted how pleasant the lord is,
to whom ye come as unto a living stone disallowed of men, but elect of
God and precious: and ye as living stones, are made a spiritual house,
and an holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable
to God by Iesus Christ.
Wherefore it is contained in the scripture: behold, I put in Sion an
head corner stone, elect and precious: and he that believeth on him
shall not be ashamed. Unto you therefore which believe is he precious:
but unto them which believe not the same stone which the builders
refused, is made the head stone in the corner, and a stone to stumble
at, and a rock to offend them which stumble at the word, and believe
not that where on they were set. But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people, that ye should
shew the vertues of him that called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, yet are now the
people of God, which were not under mercy: but now have obtained mercy.
Derly beloved I beseech you as strangers, and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts which fight against the soul, and see that ye have honest
conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil
doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the lord's sake,
whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head: other unto rulers,
as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers:
but for the laud of them that well do. For so is the will of God, that
with well doing ye should stop the mouths of ignorant men: as free, and
not as though ye took liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: but even as
the servants of God. See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly
fellowship, fear God, honour the king.
Servants obey your masters with all fear, not only if they be good and
courteous: but also though they be froward. For it commeth of grace, if
a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For
what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it
patiently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it
patiently, then is there thanke with God.
Hereunto verily were ye called, for Christ also suffered for our sakes:
leaving us an ensample that ye should follow his steps, which did no
sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth: which when he was
reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but
committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously, which his own self
bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we should be delivered from
sin and should live in righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed.
For ye were as sheep which go astray: but are now returned unto the
shepherd, and bishop of your souls.
The .iij. Chapter.
Likewise let the women be in subjection to their husbands, that even
they which believe not the word, may without the word be won by the
conversation of the wives: while they behold your pure conversation
coupled with fear. Whose apparel shall not be outward with broided
hair, and hanging on of gold, other in putting on of gorgeous apparel:
but let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and a quiet
spirit, which spirit is before God a thing much set by. For after this
manner in the old time did the wholy women which trusted in God tire
themselves, and were obedient to their husbands, even as Sara obeyed
Abraham and called him lord: whose daughters ye are as long as ye do
well, and be not afraid of every shadow.
Likewise ye men dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour
unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as unto them that are
heirs also of the grace of life, that your prayers be not let.
In conclusion, be ye all of one mind, one suffer with another, love as
brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil,
neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise, bless: remembering that ye
are thereunto called, even that ye should be heirs of blessing. For
whoso listeth to love life, and to see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak not guile: Let him
eschew evil and do good: let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes
of the lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their
prayers: but the face of the lord beholdeth them that do evil.
Moreover who is it that will harm you if ye follow that which is good?
notwithstanding happy are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake.
Nevertheless fear not though they seem terrible unto you, neither be
troubled: but sanctify the lord God in your hearts. Be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that
ye have, and that with meekness and fear: having a good conscience,
that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, for as
much as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.
It is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing,
than for evil doing. For as much as Christ hath once suffered for sins,
the just for the unjust, for to bring us to God, and was killed, as
pertaining to the flesh: but was quickened in the spirit.
In which spirit, he also went and preached unto the spirits that were
in prison, which were in time past disobedient, when the long suffering
of God abode exceeding patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was
a preparing, wherein few (that is to say viij. souls) were saved by
water, which signifieth baptism that now saveth us, not the putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but in that a good conscience
consenteth to God, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ, which is on the
right hand of God, and is gone into heaven, angels, power, and might,
subdued unto him.
The .iiij. Chapter.
For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves
likewise with the same mind: for he which suffereth in the flesh
ceaseth from sin, that he henceforward should live as much time as
remaineth in the flesh, not after the lusts of men: but after the will
of God. For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is
past of the life, after the will of the gentiles, walking in wantonness
lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.
And it seemeth to them a strange thing that ye run not also with them
unto the same excess of riot, and therefore speak they evil of you,
which shall give acomptes to him that is ready to judge quick and dead.
For unto this purpose verily was the gospel preached unto the dead,
that they should be judged after the manner of men in the flesh, but
should live godly in the spirit. The end of all things is at hand.
Be ye therefore discreet, and sober, that ye may be apt to prayers. But
above all things have fervent love among you. For love covereth the
multitude of sins. Be ye harbourous, and that without grudging. As
every man hath received the gift, minister the same one to another as
good ministers of the manyfold grace of God. If any man speak, let him
talk as though he speake the words of God. If any man minister, let him
do it as of the ability which God ministreth unto him. That God in all
things may be glorified thorow Iesus Christ, to whom be praise and
dominion for ever and while the world standeth Amen.
Derly beloved, be not troubled in this heat, which now is come among
you to try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you: but
rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's passions, that when
his glory appeareth, ye may be merry and glad.
Happy are ye when ye suffer rebuke for the name of Christ. For the
spirit of glory and the spirit of God resteth upon you. On their part
he is evil spoken of: but on your part he is glorified.
See that none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or an evil
doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. If any man suffer as a
Christian man, let him not be ashamed: but let him glorify God on his
behalf. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of
God. If it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them which
believe not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved:
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that
suffer according to the will of God, commit their souls to him with
well doing, as unto a faithful creator.
The .v. Chapter.
The seniors which are among you I exhort, which am also an senior, and
a witness of the afflictions of Christ, and also a part taker of the
glory that shall be opened: see that ye feed Christe's flock, which is
among you, taking the oversight of them, not as though ye were
compelled thereto: but willingly: Not for the desire of filthy lucre:
but of a good mind. Not as though ye were lords over the parishes: but
that ye be an ensample to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall
appear, ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.
Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the elder. Submit
yourselves every man, one to another. Knit yourselves together in
lowliness of mind. For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the
humble. Submit your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that
he may exalt you, when the time is come. Cast all your care to him: for
he careth for you.
Be sober and watch, for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the
faith, remembering that ye do but fulfil the same afflictions which are
appointed to your brethren that are in the world. The God of all grace,
which called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Iesus, shall his own
self after a little affliction make you perfect: shall settle,
strengthe, and establishe you. To him be glory and dominion for ever,
and while the world endureth Amen. By Silvanus a faithful brother unto
you (as I suppose) have I written brevely, exhorting and testifying how
that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand. The congregation
that is gathered together in Babylon, saluteth you, and Marcus my son.
Greet ye one another with the kiss of love. Peace be with you all which
are in Christ Iesus, Amen.