,weymouth ,new ,testament in ,modern    
,speech1 #a ,peter  ,third ,edition     
#aiac   ,r4 ,f4 ,weymouth     ,book #fj 
#a ,peter  #jja3jja ,peter1 an ,apostle 
of ,jesus ,christ3  ,to ,god's own      
people         scattered over the earth1
 who are living as foreigners         in
 ,pontus1 ,galatia1 ,cappadocia1 ,roman 
,asia1 and ,bithynia1  #jja3jjb chosen  
in accordance with the foreknowledge of 
,god the ,father1         through the   
sanctifying work of the ,spirit1 with a 
view         to their obedience and to  
their being sprinkled with the blood    
of ,jesus ,christ4  ,may more and more  
grace and peace be         granted to   
you4  #jja3jjc ,blessed be the ,god and 
,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1    
who in ,his great mercy has begotten us 
anew to an ever-living         hope     
through the resurrection of ,jesus      
,christ from the dead1  #jja3jjd to an  
inheritance imperishable1 undefiled and 
unfading1         which has been        
reserved in ,heaven for you1  #jja3jje  

whom ,god in ,his power is guarding     
through faith for a salvation           
that even now stands ready for unveiling
 at the ,end of the ,age4  #jja3jjf     
,rejoice triumphantly in the prospect of
 this1 even if now1         for a short 
time1 you are compelled to sorrow amid  
various trials4  #jja3jjg ,the sorrow   
comes in order that the testing of your 
faith--         being more precious than
 that of gold1 which perishes and yet   
is proved by fire--may be found to      
result in praise and glory         and  
honour at the re-appearing of ,jesus    
,christ4  #jja3jjh ,him you love1 though
 your eyes have never looked on ,him4   
,in ,him1 though at present you cannot  
see ,him1 you nevertheless              
trust1 and triumph with a joy which is  
unspeakable and is         crowned with 
glory1  #jja3jji while you are securing 
as the outcome of your faith the        
salvation         of your souls4        
#jja3jaj ,there were ,prophets who      
earnestly inquired about that salvation1

         and closely searched into      
it--even those who spoke beforehand     
of the grace which was to come to you4  
#jja3jaa ,they were eager to know the   
time which the ,spirit of ,christ within
         them kept indicating1 or the   
characteristics of that time1           
when they solemnly made known beforehand
 the sufferings that         were to    
come upon ,christ and the glories which 
would follow4  #jja3jab ,to them it was 
revealed that they were serving not     
themselves but you1         when they   
foretold the very things which have now 
been openly         declared to you by  
those who1 having been taught by the    
,holy ,spirit         which had been    
sent from ,heaven1 brought you the ,good
 ,news4         ,angels long to stoop   
and look into these things4  #jja3jac   
,therefore gird up your minds and fix   
your hopes calmly         and           
unfalteringly upon the boon that is soon
 to be yours1         at the            
re-appearing of ,jesus ,christ4         

#jja3jad ,and1 since you delight in     
obedience1 do not shape your lives      
by the cravings which used to dominate  
you in the time         of your         
ignorance1  #jja3jae but--in imitation  
of the holy ,one who has called you--   
you also must be holy in all your habits
 of life4  #jja3jaf ,because it stands  
written1 ,you are to be holy1 because ,i
 am holy4  #jja3jag ,and if you address 
as your ,father ,him who judges         
impartially         in accordance with  
each man's actions1 then spend in fear  
the time of your stay here on earth1    
#jja3jah knowing1 as you do1 that it was
 not with a ransom of         perishable
 wealth1 such as silver or gold1 that   
you were set         free from your     
frivolous habits of life which had been 
handed         down to you from your    
forefathers1  #jja3jai but with the     
precious blood of ,christ--as of an     
unblemished         and spotless lamb4  
#jja3jbj ,he was pre-destined indeed to 
this work1 even before the creation     

of the world1 but has been plainly      
manifested in these last         days   
for the sake of you who1 through ,him1  
#jja3jba are faithful to ,god1 who      
raised ,him from among the dead and gave
         ,him glory1 so that your faith 
and hope are resting upon ,god4         
#jja3jbb ,now that1 through your        
obedience to the truth1 you have        
purified your souls for cherishing      
sincere brotherly love1         you must
 love another heartily and fervently4   
#jja3jbc ,for you have been begotten    
again by ,god's ever-living and enduring
         word from a germ not of        
perishable1 but of imperishable life4   
#jja3jbd ,all mankind resemble the      
herbage1 and all their beauty is like   
its flowers4  ,the herbage dries up1 and
 its flowers drop off2  #jja3jbe ,but   
the word of the ,lord remains for ever4 
,and that means         the ,message    
which has been proclaimed among you in  
the ,good ,news4  #jjb3jja ,rid         
yourselves therefore of all ill-will and

 all deceitfulness1         of          
insincerity and envy1 and of all evil   
speaking4  #jjb3jjb ,thirst1 like       
newly-born infants1 for pure milk for   
the soul1         that by it you may    
grow up to salvation2  #jjb3jjc if you  
have had any experience of the goodness 
of the ,lord4  #jjb3jjd ,come to ,him1  
the ever-living ,stone1 rejected indeed 
by men         as worthless1 but in     
,god's esteem chosen and held in honour4
  #jjb3jje ,and be yourselves also like 
living stones that are being built      
up into a spiritual house1 to become a  
holy priesthood to offer                
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to ,god 
through ,jesus ,christ4  #jjb3jjf ,for  
it is contained in ,scripture1 ,see1 ,i 
am placing on ,mount ,zion         a    
,cornerstone1 chosen1 and held in       
honour1 and he whose faith         rests
 on ,him shall never have reason to feel
 ashamed4  #jjb3jjg ,to you believers1  
therefore1 that honour belongs2 but for 
unbelievers--,a ,stone which the        

builders rejected has been         made 
the ,cornerstone1  #jjb3jjh and a ,stone
 for the foot to strike against1 and a  
,rock to         stumble over4  ,their  
foot strikes against it because they are
         disobedient to ,god's ,message1
 and to this they were appointed4       
#jjb3jji ,but you are a chosen race1 a  
priesthood of kingly lineage1         a 
holy nation1 a people belonging         
specially to ,god1         that you may 
make known the perfections of ,him who  
called         you out of darkness into 
,his marvellous light4  #jjb3jaj ,once  
you were not a people1 but now you are  
the people of ,god4         ,once you   
had not found mercy1 but now you have4  
#jjb3jaa ,dear friends1 ,i entreat you  
as pilgrims and foreigners         not  
to indulge the cravings of your lower   
natures3         for all such cravings  
wage war upon the soul4  #jjb3jab ,live 
honourable lives among the ,gentiles1 in
 order that1         although they now  
speak against you as evil-doers1 they   

may         yet witness your good       
conduct1 and may glorify ,god on the day
         of reward and retribution4     
#jjb3jac ,submit1 for the ,lord's sake1 
to every authority set up by man1       
whether it be to the ,emperor as supreme
 ruler1  #jjb3jad or to provincial      
,governors as sent by him for the       
punishment         of evil-doers and the
 encouragement of those who do what is  
right4  #jjb3jae ,for it is ,god's will 
that by doing what is right you should  
thus silence the ignorant talk of       
foolish persons4  #jjb3jaf ,be free men1
 and yet do not make your freedom an    
excuse         for base conduct1 but be 
,god's bondservants4  #jjb3jag ,honour  
every one4  ,love the brotherhood1 fear 
,god1         honour the ,emperor4      
#jjb3jah ,household servants1 be        
submissive to your masters1 and show    
them         the utmost respect--not    
only if they are kind and thoughtful1   
but also if they are unreasonable4      
#jjb3jai ,for it is an acceptable thing 

with ,god1 if1 from a sense of duty     
to ,him1 a man patiently submits to     
wrong1 when treated unjustly4  #jjb3jbj 
,if you do wrong and receive a blow for 
it1 what credit is there         in your
 bearing it patiently8  ,but if when you
 do right and         suffer for it you 
bear it patiently1 this is an acceptable
         thing with ,god4  #jjb3jba ,and
 it is to this you were called2 because 
,christ also suffered         on your   
behalf1 leaving you an example so that  
you should         follow in ,his steps4
  #jjb3jbb ,he never sinned1 and no     
deceitful language was ever heard       
from ,his mouth4  #jjb3jbc ,when ,he was
 reviled1 ,he did not answer with       
reviling2         when ,he suffered ,he 
uttered no threats1 but left ,his wrongs
         in the hands of the righteous  
,judge4  #jjb3jbd ,the burden of our    
sins ,he ,himself carried in ,his own   
body         to the ,cross and bore it  
there1 so that we1 having died          
so far as our sins are concerned1 may   

live righteous lives4         ,by ,his  
wounds yours have been healed4  #jjb3jbe
 ,for you were straying like lost sheep1
 but now you have come         back to  
the ,shepherd and ,protector of your    
souls4  #jjc3jja ,married women1 in the 
same way1 be submissive to your         
husbands1         so that even if some  
of them disbelieve the ,message1 they   
may1         apart from the ,message1 be
 won over by the daily life         of  
their wives1 after watching your daily  
life--  #jjc3jjb so full of reverence1  
and so blameless6  #jjc3jjc ,your       
adornment ought not to be a merely      
outward thing--one of plaiting          
the hair1 putting on jewelry1 or wearing
 beautiful dresses4  #jjc3jjd ,instead  
of that1 it should be a new nature      
within--         the imperishable       
ornament of a gentle and peaceful       
spirit1         which is indeed precious
 in the sight of ,god4  #jjc3jje ,for in
 ancient times also this was the way the
 holy women         who set their hopes 

upon ,god used to adorn themselves1     
being submissive to their husbands4     
#jjc3jjf ,thus1 for instance1 ,sarah    
obeyed ,abraham1 acknowledging his      
authority over her4  ,and you have      
become ,sarah's children if you         
do what is right and permit nothing     
whatever to terrify you4  #jjc3jjg      
,married men1 in the same way1 live with
 your wives with a clear                
recognition of the fact that they are   
weaker than you4         ,yet1 since you
 are heirs with them of ,god's free gift
 of ,life1         treat them with      
honour2 so that your prayers may not be 
hindered4  #jjc3jjh ,in conclusion1 all 
of you should be of one mind1 quick to  
sympathize1         kind to the         
brethren1 tenderhearted1 lowly-minded1  
#jjc3jji not requiting evil with evil   
nor abuse with abuse1 but1         on   
the contrary1 giving a blessing in      
return1 because a blessing         is   
what you have been called by ,god to    
inherit4  #jjc3jaj ,for ,he who wishes  

to be well-satisfied with life and see  
happy days--let him restrain his tongue 
from evil1 and his         lips from    
deceitful words2  #jjc3jaa ,let him turn
 from evil1 and do good2 ,let him       
inquire for peace         and go in     
pursuit of it4  #jjc3jab ,for the eyes  
of the ,lord are upon the righteous1 and
 ,his ears         are open to their    
supplication2 but the face of the ,lord 
is set against evil-doers4  #jjc3jac    
,and who will be able to harm you1 if   
you show yourselves         zealous for 
that which is good8  #jjc3jad ,but even 
if you suffer for righteousness' sake1  
you are to be envied4         ,so do not
 be alarmed by their threats1 nor       
troubled2  #jjc3jae but in your hearts  
consecrate ,christ as ,lord1 being      
always ready         to make your       
defence to any one who asks from you a  
reason         for the hope which you   
cherish4  #jjc3jaf ,yet argue modestly  
and cautiously1 keeping your consciences
         free from guilt1 so that1 when 

you are spoken against1         those   
who slander your good ,christian lives  
may be put to shame4  #jjc3jag ,for it  
is better that you should suffer for    
doing right1         if such be ,god's  
will1 than for doing evil2  #jjc3jah    
because ,christ also once for all died  
for sins1 the innocent         ,one for 
the guilty many1 in order to bring us to
 ,god4         ,he was put to death in  
the flesh1 but made alive in the spirit1
  #jjc3jai in which ,he also went and   
proclaimed ,his ,message to the spirits 
that were in prison1  #jjc3jbj who in   
ancient times had been disobedient1     
while ,god's         longsuffering was  
patiently waiting in the days of ,noah  
during the building of the ,ark1 in     
which a few persons--         eight in  
number--were brought safely through the 
water4  #jjc3jba ,and1 corresponding to 
that figure1 the water of baptism now   
saves you--         not the washing off 
of material defilement1 but the craving 
of a good conscience after ,god--through

 the resurrection         of ,jesus     
,christ1  #jjc3jbb who is at ,god's     
right hand1 having gone into ,heaven1   
angels and         authorities and      
powers having been made subject to ,him4
  #jjd3jja ,since1 then1 ,christ has    
suffered in the flesh1 you also must    
arm yourselves with a determination to  
do the same--         because he who has
 suffered in the flesh has done with    
sin--  #jjd3jjb that in future you may  
spend the rest of your earthly lives1   
governed not by human passions1 but by  
the will of ,god4  #jjd3jjc ,for you    
have given time enough in the past to   
the doing of         the things which   
the ,gentiles delight in--pursuing1 as  
you did1         a course of habitual   
licence1 debauchery1 hard drinking1     
noisy revelry1 drunkenness and unholy   
image-worship4  #jjd3jjd ,at this they  
are astonished--that you do not run into
 the same         excess of profligacy  
as they do2 and they speak abusively of 
you4  #jjd3jje ,but they will have to   

give account to ,him who stands ready   
to pronounce judgement on the living and
 the dead4  #jjd3jjf ,for it is with    
this end in view that the ,good ,news   
was         proclaimed even to some who 
were dead1 that they may be judged1     
as all mankind will be judged1 in the   
body1 but may be living         a godly 
life in the spirit4  #jjd3jjg ,but the  
end of all things is now close at hand3 
therefore be sober-minded and temperate1
 so that you may give         yourselves
 to prayer4  #jjd3jjh ,above all        
continue to love one another fervently1 
for love         throws a veil over a   
multitude of faults4  #jjd3jji ,extend  
ungrudging hospitality towards one      
another4  #jjd3jaj ,whatever be the     
gifts which each has received1 you must 
use them for one another's benefit1 as  
good stewards of         ,god's         
many-sided kindness4  #jjd3jaa ,if any  
one preaches1 let it be as uttering     
,god's truth2         if any one renders
 a service to others1 let it be in the  

strength         which ,god supplies2 so
 that in everything glory may be given  
to ,god in the name of ,jesus ,christ1  
to whom belong the glory         and the
 might to the ,ages of the ,ages4       
,amen4  #jjd3jab ,dear friends1 do not  
be surprised at finding that that       
scorching         flame of persecution  
is raging among you to put you to the   
test--         as though some surprising
 thing were accidentally happening to   
you4  #jjd3jac ,on the contrary1 in the 
degree that you share in the sufferings 
of the ,christ1 rejoice1 so that at the 
unveiling of ,his glory         you may 
also rejoice with triumphant gladness4  
#jjd3jad ,you are to be envied1 if you  
are being reproached for bearing        
the name of ,christ2 for in that case   
the ,spirit of glory--         even the 
,spirit of ,god--is resting upon you4   
#jjd3jae ,but let not one of you suffer 
as a murderer or a thief         or an  
evil-doer1 or as a spy upon other       
people's business4  #jjd3jaf ,if1       

however1 any one suffers because he is a
 ,christian1         let him not be     
ashamed1 but let him glorify ,god for   
being         permitted to bear that    
name4  #jjd3jag ,for the time has come  
for judgement to begin1 and to begin    
at the house of ,god2 and if it begins  
with us1 what will be         the end of
 those who reject ,god's ,good ,news8   
#jjd3jah ,and if it is difficult even   
for a righteous man to be saved1        
what will become of irreligious men and 
sinners8  #jjd3jai ,therefore also1 let 
those who are suffering in accordance   
with the will of ,god entrust their     
souls in well-doing         to a        
faithful ,creator4  #jje3jja ,so ,i     
exhort the ,elders among you--,i who am 
their fellow ,elder         and have    
been an eye-witness of the sufferings of
 the ,christ1         and am also a     
sharer in the glory which is soon to be 
revealed4  #jje3jjb ,be shepherds of    
,god's flock which is among you4        
,exercise the oversight not reluctantly 

but eagerly1         in accordance with 
the will of ,god2 not for base gain but 
with cheerful minds2  #jje3jjc not      
lording it over your ,churches but      
proving yourselves         patterns for 
the flock to imitate4  #jje3jjd ,and    
then1 when the chief ,shepherd appears1 
you will receive         the            
never-withering wreath of glory4        
#jje3jje ,in the same way you younger   
men must submit to your elders2         
and all of you must gird yourselves with
 humility towards         one another1  
for ,god sets ,himself against the      
proud1         but gives grace to the   
humble4  #jje3jjf ,humble yourselves    
therefore beneath the mighty hand of    
,god1         so that at the right time 
,he may set you on high4  #jje3jjg      
,throw the whole of your anxiety upon   
,him1 because ,he ,himself         cares
 for you4  #jje3jjh ,curb every passion1
 and be on the alert4  ,your great      
accuser1         the ,devil1 is going   
about like a roaring lion to see whom   

he can devour4  #jje3jji ,withstand him1
 firm in your faith2 knowing that your  
brethren         in other parts of the  
world are passing through just          
the same experiences4  #jje3jaj ,and    
,god1 the giver of all grace1 who has   
called you to share ,his         eternal
 glory1 through ,christ1 after you have 
suffered for a         short time1 will 
,himself make you perfect1 firm1 and    
strong4  #jje3jaa ,to ,him be all power 
unto the ,ages of the ,ages6  ,amen4    
#jje3jab ,i send this short letter by   
,silas1 our faithful brother--          
for such ,i regard him--in order to     
encourage you1 and to bear              
witness that what ,i have told you is   
the true grace of ,god4         ,in it  
stand fast4  #jje3jac ,the ,church in   
,babylon1 chosen like yourselves by     
,god1         sends greetings1 and so   
does ,mark my son4  #jje3jad ,greet one 
another with a kiss of love4  ,peace be 
with all of you         who are in      
,christ4