Chap. I. He sheweth that thorow the abundaunt mercy of God we are begotten agayne to a lyuely hope: and how faith must be tried: how the saluacion in Christ is no newes, but a thinge prophecied of olde. He exhorteth them to a godly conuersacion, for so moch as they are now borne a new by the worde of God.

Chap. II. He exhorteth men to laye asyde all vyce, sheweth that Christ is the foundacion wher vpon they be buylt, prayeth them to absteyne fr&obar; fleshly lustes, and to obeye worldly rulers. How seruauntes shulde behaue them selues towarde their masters. He exhorteth to suffre after the ensample of Christ.

Chap. III. How wyues ought to ordre them selues towarde their hu&esset;bandes and in their apparell The dutye of m&ebar; towarde their wyues. He exorteth all men to vnite and loue, and paciently to suffre trouble. Of true baptyme.

Chap. IIII. He exhorteth men to ceasse from synne, to spende no more tyme in vyce, to be sober and apte to prayer, to loue ech other, to be pacient in trouble, and to bewarre that no man suffre as an euell doer, but as a Cristen man, and not to be ashamed.

Chap. V A speciall exhortacion for all bisshoppes or prestes to fede the flocke of Christ, and what their dutie is, and what rewarde they shal haue yf they be dilig&ebar;t He exhorteth yonge personnes to submytt th&ebar; selues to the elder, euery one to loue another, to be sober, & to watch, that they maye resist the enemye. The first Epistle of the Apostle S. Peter. The first Chapter.

A   Peter an Apostle of Iesu Christ, to th&ebar; that dwell here and there as straungers thorow out Pontus, Galacia, Capadocia, Asia and Bithinia, electe acordinge to the foreknowlege of God the father thorow sanctifienge of the sprete, vnto obedience and ^note sprenklynge of the bloude of Iesus Christ.

Grace and peace be multiplied with you.

^noteBlessed be God and the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, which acordinge to his greate mercy hath begotten vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope ^note by the resurreccion of Iesus Christ from the deed, to an vncorruptible and vndefyled inheritaunce, which neuer shal fade awaye, but is reserued in heauen for you that are kepte by the power of God thorow faith to saluacion, which is prepared all ready to be shewed in the last tyme: in the which ye shal reioyse, though now for a litle season (yff nede requyre) ye are in heuynes thorow manyfolde temptacions: B    that youre faith once tryed (beynge moch more precious then the corruptible golde that is tryed thorow the fyre) might be founde vnto laude, glory and honoure at the appearynge of Iesus Christ: whom ye haue not sene, and yet loue him: ^note in whom now ye beleue, though ye se him not. Euen so shal ye reioyce also with vnoutspeakable and glorious ioye, receauynge the ende of youre faith, euen the saluacion of youre soules.

Of which saluacion the prophetes haue enquyred and searched, which prophecied off the grace that shulde come vpon you: searchinge whan or at what tyme the sprete off Christ that was in them, shulde signifye, which (sprete) testified before the passions that shulde come vnto Christ, and the glory that shulde folowe after. Vnto the which (prophetes) it was declared, that not vnto them selues, but vnto vs they shulde mynister the thinges which are now shewed vnto you, by them which thorow þe; holy goost sent downe from heauen, haue preached vnto you the thinges ^note which the angels delyte to beholde.

C   Wherfore gyrde op the ^note loynes off youre mynde, be sober, and trust perfectly

on the grace that is brought vnto you, by the declarynge of Iesus Christ, as obedient childr&ebar;, not fa&esset;hionynge youre selues to yo&highr; olde lustes of ignoraunce: but as he which hath called you is holy, eu&ebar; so be ye holy also in all youre conuersacion: for it it wrytt&ebar;: ^note Be ye holy, for I am holy.

And yf so be that ye call on the father, which without respecte of personnes iudgeth ^note acordynge to euery mans worke, se þt; ye passe þe; tyme of youre pilgremage in feare: ^note and knowe, that ye were not redemed &wt; corruptible syluer and golde, from youre vayne conuersacion (which ye receaued by the tradici&obar;s of the fathers) ^note but with the precious bloude of Christ, as of an innoc&ebar;t and vndefyled lambe, D   which was ordeyned before the worlde was made, but is declared in these last tymes ^note for youre sakes, which thorow him beleue on God, that raysed him vp from the deed, ^note and hath geu&ebar; him the glory, that ye might haue faith ∧ hope in God: Euen ye which haue purifyed youre soules ^note in obeyenge the trueth thorow the sprete, for to loue brotherly without faynynge, ∧ feruently one to loue another &wt; a pure hert, as they that are borne a new, not of corruptible sede, but of vncorruptible, eu&ebar; by the lyuynge worde of God, which endureth for euer. ^noteFor all flesh is as grasse, and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse. The grasse withereth, ∧ the floure falleth awaye but the worde of the LORDE endureth for euer. This is the worde, that is preached amonge you. The II. Chapter.

A   Wherfore laye asyde all maliciousnes and all gyle, and ypocrisye, and envye, and all bacbytinge, ∧ ^note as new borne babes desyre that reasonable mylke, which is without corrupcion, that ye maye growe therin, yf so be that ye haue ^note taisted how frendly the LORDE is. Vnto whom ye are come, ^note as to the lyuynge stone, which is disalowed of men, but chosen of God and precious. And ye also as lyuynge stones are made a spirituall house, and an holy presthode, to offre vp ^note spirituall sacrifices, acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherfore it is conteyned in the scripture: ^note Beholde, I put in Sion an heade corner stone, electe ∧ precious, and he that beleueth on him, shal not be c&obar;founded. Vnto you therfore which beleue, he is precious: but vnto them that beleue not, is þe; same stone which the ^note buylders refused, made the heade stone in the corner, ^note and a stone to stomble at, and a rock to be offended at, namely in th&ebar; which stomble at þe; worde, and beleue not that wheron they were set.

B    ^noteBut ye are that chosen generacion, that kyngly presthode, that holy nacion, that peculier people, þt; ye shulde shewe the vertues of him, which hath called you out of darknesse in to his maruelous lighte: ^note Euen you which in tyme past were not a people, but now are the people of God: which were not vnder mercy, but now haue optayned mercy.

Dearly beloued, I beseke you as straungers and pilgrems, ^note absteyne fr&obar; the fleshly lustes, which fighte agaynst the soule, and lede an honest conuersacion amonge the Heythen, ^note that they which bacbyte you as euell doers, maye se youre good workes, and prayse God in the daye of visitacion.

^noteSubmytte youre selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of men for the LORDES sake: whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto þe; chefe heade, or vnto rulers, as vnto them that are sent of him, for the punyshment of euell doers, but for the prayse of th&ebar; that do well. For so is the will of God, that ye with well doynge shulde put to sylence the ignoraunce of folishmen: as fre, and not as hauynge the libertye for a cloke of wickednes, but eu&ebar; as the seruauntes of God. Honoure all men. Loue brotherly fellishippe. Feare God. ^noteHonoure the kynge.

C    ^noteYe serua&ubar;tes, obey youre masters with all feare: not onely yf they be good and curteous, but also though they be frowarde. For that is grace, yf a man for conscience towarde God endure grefe, and suffre wronge. For what prayse is it, yf wh&abar; ye be buffeted for yo&highr; fautes, ye take it paciently? ^noteBut yf whan ye do well, ye suffre wronge, and take it paciently, that is grace with God. For here vnto are ye called, for so moch as Christ also suffred for vs, leauynge vs an ^note ensample, that ye shulde folowe his fotesteppes, which dyd no synne, nether was there gyle founde in his mouth: ^note which whan he was reuyled, reuyled not agayne: wh&abar; he suffred, he threatened not: but commytted the cause vnto him, that iudgeth righteously: ^note which his owne selfe bare oure synnes in his body vpon the tre, that we shulde be delyuered from synne, ∧ shulde lyue vnto righteousnes: by whose strypes ye were healed. ^noteFor ye were as shepe goinge astraye, but now are ye turned vnto the shepherde and Bi&esset;hoppe of youre soules. The III. Chapter.

A   Likewyse ^note let the wyues be in subieccion to their hu&esset;bandes, that euen they which beleue not the worde, maye without the worde be wonne by þe; c&obar;uersacion of the wyues, whan they beholde yo&highr; pure conuersacion in feare. Whose apparell ^note shal not be outwarde &wt; broyded heer, ∧ hanginge on of golde, or in puttynge on of gorgious araye, but let þe; inwarde m&abar; of þe; hert be vncorrupte &wt; a meke ∧ a quyete sprete, which before God is moch set by. For after this maner in the olde tyme, dyd þe; holy wem&ebar; which trusted in God, tyer th&ebar; selues, ∧ were obedient vnto their hu&esset;b&abar;des: Euen as Sara obeyed Abraham, ^note and called him lorde: whose doughters ye are, as l&obar;ge as ye do well, not beynge afrayed for eny trouble.

Likewyse ye men, dwell with them acordinge vnto knowlege, geuynge ^note hono&highr; vnto the wife, as to the weaker vessel: ∧ as vnto th&ebar; þt; are heyres with you of the grace of life, that youre prayers be not let.

B   But in conclusion be ye all of one mynde, one suffre with another, loue as brethren, be pitefull, be curteous. ^noteRec&obar;pence not euell for euell, nether rebuke for rebuke: but c&obar;trary wyse, blesse: and knowe that ye are called therto, euen þt; ye shulde be heyres of þe; ^note blessynge. For ^note who so listeth to lyue, and wolde fayne se good dayes, Let him refrayne his tonge from euell, and his lippes þt; they speake no gyle. Let him eschue euell, ∧ do good: Let him seke peace and ensue it. For þe; eyes of the LORDE are ouer the righteous, ∧ his eares are open vnto their prayers. But þe; face of the LORDE beholdeth th&ebar; þt; do euell. And who is it that can harme you, yf ye folowe that which is good? Not withst&obar;dinge ^note blessed are ye, yf ye suffre for righteousnes sake ^note Feare not ye their threatnynge, nether be troubled, but sanctifye the LORDE God in youre hertes. ^noteBe ready allwayes to geue an answere to euery m&abar;, that axeth you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with mekenes ∧ feare, hauynge a good conscience, ^note that they which bacbyte you as euell doers, maye be ashamed, that they haue falsely accused youre good c&obar;uersacion in Christ.

C    ^noteFor it is better (yf the wyll of God be so) that ye suffre for well doynge, th&ebar; for euell doynge. For as moch as Christ hath once suffred for oure synnes, þe; iust for the vniust, for to brynge vs to God: ∧ was slayne after the flesh, but quyckened after the sprete.

In the which sprete he also wente, and preached vnto þe; spretes that were in preson, which in tyme past beleued not, whan God once a bode and suffred paci&ebar;tly in the tyme of Noe, whyle the Arke was a preparynge: ^note Wherin fewe (that is to saye eight soules) were saued by water. Which signifieth ^note baptyme þt; now saueth vs: not þe; puttinge awaye of the fylth of the flesh, but in þt; a good c&obar;sci&ebar;ce c&obar;senteth vnto God by þe; resurreccion of Iesus Christ, which is on the righte hande of God, and is gone in to heau&ebar;, angels, power and mighte subdued vnto him. The IIII. Chapter.

A   For as moch then as Christ hath suffred for vs in þe; flesh, arme youre selues likewyse with the same mynde. ^noteFor he which suffreth in the flesh, ceasseth fr&obar; synne, þt; h&ebar;ce forth (as moch tyme as yet remayneth in þe; flesh) he shulde not lyue after the lustes of m&ebar;, but after the wil of God. For it is ynough, þt; we haue spent þe; tyme past of the life, after the will of þe; Heythen, wh&abar; we walked in wantannesse, lustes, dronk&ebar;nes, glotony, ryotous drynkynge, ∧ &ibar; abhominable Idolatrye. And it semeth to th&ebar; a straunge thinge, þt; ye runne not also &wt; them vnto the same excesse of ryote, ∧ speake euell of you. (Which shal geue ac&obar;ptes vnto h&ibar; þt; is ready to iudge þe; quycke ∧ þe; deed.) For vnto this purpose also was þe; Gospell preached vnto the deed, þt; they shulde be iudged like other m&ebar; &ibar; þe; flesh, but shulde lyue vnto God in þe; sprete. The ende of all th&ibar;ges is at h&abar;de.

B    ^noteBe ye therfore sober ∧ watch vnto prayers: but aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge you one to another. ^noteFor loue couereth the multitude of synnes. Be ye herberous one to another without grudginge, ∧ mynister one to another, eueryone with the gifte þt; he hath receaued, as good stewardes of the manifolde grace of God. ^noteYf eny m&abar; speake, let h&ibar; speake it as þe; wordes of God. ^noteYf eny man haue an office, let him execute it as out of the power þt; God mynistreth vnto h&ibar;, þt; God maye be praysed in all thinges thorow Iesus Christ, To wh&obar; be hono&highr; and domynion for euer and euer Amen.

Derely beloued, maruell not at this ^note heate (which is come am&obar;ge you to trye you) as though some stra&ubar;ge thinge happened vnto you: C   but reioyce, in as moch as ye are partakers of Christes passi&obar;s, þt; wh&abar; his glory appeareth, ye maye be mery ∧ glad. ^noteYf ye be reuyled for þe; name of Christ, blessed are ye, for þe; sprete (which is þe; sprete of glory ∧ of God) resteth vpon you. On their parte he is euell spoken of, but on yo&highr; parte he is praysed.

^noteBut se that none of you suffre as a murthurer,

or as a thefe, or as an euell doer, or as a busy body in other mens matters. Yf eny man suffre as a Christen man, let him not be ashamed, but let him prayse God on this behalfe. ^noteFor þe; tyme is come, that iudgm&ebar;t must begynne at the house of God. Yf it first begynne at vs, what shal the ende be of th&ebar; which beleue not the Gospell of God? ^noteAnd yf þe; righteous scacely be saued, where shal þe; vngodly ∧ synner appeare? Wherfore let them that suffer acordynge to the will off God, commytte their soules vnto him with well doynge, as to the faithfull creator. The V. Chapter.

A   The Elders which are amonge you I exhorte, which am also an Elder, ^note and a witnes off the affliccions in Christ, and partaker of the glory that shalbe opened. ^noteFede Christes flocke which is amonge you, and take the ouersighte of th&ebar;, not as though ye were c&obar;pelled therto, but wyllingly: not for the desyre of filthye lucre, but of a good mynde: not as though ye were lordes ouer the parish&ebar;s, ^note but that ye be an ensample to the flocke: ∧ whan the chefe shepherde shal appeare, ye shal receaue the vncorruptible crowne of glory.

Likewyse ye y&obar;ger submytte youre selues vnto the elder. Submytte youre selues euery man one to another, and knyt yo&highr; selues together in lowlynes of mynde. ^noteFor God resisteth the proude, but geueth grace to the humble. Submytte yo&highr; selues therfore vnder the mightie hande of God, that he maye exalte you whan the tyme is come. ^noteCast all youre care on him, for he careth for you.

B   Be sober and watch, ^note for yo&highr; aduersary þe; deuell, walketh aboute as a roaringe lyon, sekynge whom he maye deuoure, ^note whome resiste stedfast in the faith, and knowe, that youre brethren in the worlde haue euen the same affliccions.

But þe; God of all grace, which hath called you to his euerlastinge glory in Christ Iesu, shal his owne selfe make you perfecte, which suffre ^note a litle season: eu&ebar; he shal settle, strength, and stablish you. To him be prayse and domynion for euer and euer, Amen.

By Siluanus youre faithfull brother (as I suppose) haue I wrytt&ebar; vnto you breuely, exhortinge and testifyenge, how that this is the true grace of God wherin ye st&obar;de. The companyons of youre eleccion that are at Babilon, salute you, and Marcus my sonne. Grete ye one another with the kysse of loue. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Iesus, Amen.

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