Christ from the dead.

to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, which shall be kept in heaven 5. You who by the power of God are kept through faith unto salvation, which is prepared to be revealed in the last time,

In which ye shall rejoice, who now for a little season (where it shall be) are sorrowful in divers temptations,

That your faith may be found righteous, and much more precious than the gold that perisheth, which is tried by fire, to the praise, and honour, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be revealed,

Whom ye have not seen, but love, and now believe on him, though ye see him not: and ye shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,

And bring away the end of your faith, even the blessedness of souls].

For what blessedness the prophets sought and searched, who pointed unto you the grace that was to come,

And have searched to what and what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed, testifying beforehand of the sufferings which are in Christ, and of the glory which is after, 12. To whom it was revealed. For they presented it not unto themselves, but unto us: which is now made known unto you by them which preached the gospel unto you, sent down from heaven by the Holy Ghost; which also the angels longed to behold.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace which is offered you by the revelation of JESUS CHRIST,

As obedient children; and be not as ye were before, living in ignorance after lusts, 15. But according to him that hath called you, and hath sanctified you, be ye also holy in all your doings.

For it is written: Ye shall be holy: for I am holy.

And as ye call upon him that is the Father, who judgeth without respect of persons according to every man’s work, so conduct yourselves with fear all the days of your sojourning; 18. And know that ye are not redeemed with corruptible silver or gold from your vain walk after the manner of your fathers,

but with the precious blood of Christ, as of an innocent and unblemished lamb, 20. Who indeed was provided before the foundation of the world, but is manifested in the last times for your sakes,

Who through him believe in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that ye might have faith and hope in God.

And chasten your souls in the obedience of the truth by the Spirit unto brotherly love unstained, and love one another fervently out of a pure heart,

As they that are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, even of the living word of God, which abideth for ever.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of men as the flower of grass. The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen;

But the word of the LORD endureth for ever. This is the word which is preached among you.
(1 Peter)
Chapter 2
Of the duty of the born-again, as well as of subjects and servants.

Put away therefore all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all speaking evil; 2. And be greedy for the sensible milk, as the little children that are now born, that ye may increase by the same,

If ye have tasted otherwise, that the Lord is good,

To whom ye are come as unto the living stone, which is rejected of men, but with God is chosen and precious.

And ye also, as the living stones, build yourselves up into a spiritual house, and into a holy priesthood, to offer sacrifices acceptable unto God through JESUS Christ.

Therefore it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a choice and precious corner stone; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be put to shame.

To you therefore which believe it is precious; but to them which believe not it is the stone which the builders rejected, and became the corner stone,

A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, which stumble at the word, and believe not in it,
whereon they are set.

But ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the people of the possession, that ye should shew forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,

Who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God; and formerly were not in grace, but are now in grace.
(Epistle on the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate.)

Brethren, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,

And do good among the heathen, that they which speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may see your good works, and glorify God, when it shall come to pass.

Be subject unto all manner of men for the LORD’S sake, even to the king, as to the ruler, 14. or the captains, as the messengers from him for vengeance on the evildoers, and for ‘praise to the pious.

For this is the will of God, that ye should stop up the ignorance of foolish men with well-doing,

as the free, and not as having liberty to the cover of wickedness, but as the servants of GOD.

Do honour to everyone. Love your brothers! Fear God! Honor the king!

Ye servants, be subject unto the lords with all fear, not only to the kind and gentle, but also to the whimsical.

For this is grace, if a man for conscience’ sake endure evil unto God, and suffer iniquity.

For what glory is this, if ye suffer strokes for iniquity? But if you suffer and endure for the sake of good, that is grace with God.
(Epistle on the Second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini.) 21. For to this end were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in his footsteps;

Who hath committed no sin, neither is any deceit found in his mouth; 23. Who reproved not when he was reproached, neither grieved when he suffered; but reproved him that judgeth aright;

Who himself offered up our sins in his body upon the wood, that we, having died to sin, might live unto righteousness: by whose wounds ye were healed.

For ye were as sheep going astray: but now are ye converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. ]
(1 Peter)
Chapter 3
Duties of the spouses. Patience and constancy in suffering. Baptismal covenant.

Likewise also the wives shall be subject unto their husbands, that they also which believe not the word may be won by the conversation of wives without the word, 2. When they behold your chaste walk in fear;

What ornament shall not be by heart with braiding of hair, and cloaking of gold, or putting on of garments?

but the hidden man of the heart unfeigned with a gentle and quiet spirit; this is delicious in the sight of God.

For so did the holy women of old adorn themselves, who put their hope in God, and were subject to their husbands,

As Sarah obeyed Abraham, and called him lord, whose daughters ye became, if ye did well, and were not timid.

the same, ye men,
dwell with them with reason, and give honor to the female as the weakest instrument, as also joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
(Epistle on the fifth Sunday after Trinity.)

Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, brotherly, merciful, kind.

Not evil with evil, or evil with evil: but bless ye, and know that ye are called to this, that ye may inherit the blessing.

He that would live and see good days, let his tongue hold his peace, that it speak no evil; and his lips, that they deceive not;

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears upon their prayer: but the face of the LORD is upon them that do evil.

And who is he that may hurt you, if ye do good?

Though ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, yet are ye blessed. But fear not their defiance, and be not dismayed!

But sanctify the Lord GOD in your hearts.] But be ye always ready to answer to every man, which requireth the hope that is in you,

With meekness and fear: and have a good conscience, that they which speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may be put to shame, because they have reproached your good walk in Christ.

For it is better, if it be the will of God, that ye should suffer for good than for evil, 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might offer us to God; being put to death according to the flesh, but made alive according to the Spirit.

And in the same he went and preached unto the spirits that were in prison, 20. Who believed not, because God waited and was patient in the days of Noah, when they prepared the ark, wherein were kept a few, that is, eight souls, by the water, 21. Which therefore also makes us blessed in baptism, which is signified by that, not the putting away of filthiness from the flesh, but the covenant of a good conscience with GOD through the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST,

Who is gone up to the right hand of God into heaven, and the angels and the mighty men and the powers are subject unto him.
(1 Peter)
Chapter 4
Of the use of the cross, and patience therein, and other virtues.

Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind: for he that