1   Peter an Apostle of Iesvs Christ, to the strangers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

2    ^noteElect according to the ^note foreknowledge of God þe; Father vnto ^note sanctification of þe; Spirit,

The end of faith. through obedience and sprinkeling of the blood of Iesus Christ: Grace and peace bee multiplied vnto you.

3   Blessed bee God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a ^note liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead,

4   To an inheritance immortall and vndefiled, and that withereth not, reserued in heauen for vs,

5    ^noteWhich are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation, which is prepared to be shewed in the ^note last time.

6   Wherein yee reioyce, though nowe for a season (if neede require) yee are in heauinesse, through manifolde tentations,

7   That the triall of your faith, being much more precious then golde that perisheth (though it be tried with fire) might bee founde vnto your praise, and honour and glorie at the ^note appearing of Iesus Christ:

8   Whome yee haue not seene, and yet loue him, in whome nowe, though yee see him not, yet doe you beleeue, and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious,

9   Receiuing the ^note ende of your faith, euen the saluation of your soules.

10    ^noteOf the which saluation þe; Prophets haue inquired and searched, which prophecied of the grace that should come vnto you,

11   Searching when or what time the Spirite which testified before of Christ which was in them, shoulde declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ, and the glorie that shoulde followe.

12   Vnto whome it was reueiled, that not vnto themselues, but vnto vs they shoulde minister the things, which are nowe shewed vnto you by them which haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holy Ghost ^note sent downe from heauen, the which things the Angels desire to beholde.

13    ^noteWherefore, ^note girde vp the Ioynes of your minde: bee sober, ^note and trust ^note perfectly on that grace ^note that is brought vnto you, ^note in the reuelation of Iesus Christ, The price of our redemption.

14    ^noteAs obedient children, not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance:

15   But as hee which hath called you, is holie, so be yee holie in ^note all maner of conuersation;

16    ^noteBecause it is written, ^note Be yee holie, for I am holie.

17    ^noteAnd if ye ^note call him Father, which without ^note respect of person iudgeth according to euery mans woorke, passe the time of your dwelling here in feare,

18    ^noteKnowing that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things, as siluer and golde, from your vaine conuersation, receiued by the traditions of the fathers,

19    ^noteBut with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lambe vndefiled, and without spot.

20    ^noteWhich was ^note ordeined before the ^note foundation of the world, but was declared in the last times for your sakes,

21   Which by his meanes doe beleeue in God that raised him from the dead, and gaue him glorie, that your faith and hope might bee in God,

22    ^noteHauing purified your soules in obeying the trueth through the spirite, to ^note loue brotherly without faining, loue one another with a pure heart feruently,

23   Being borne anewe, not of mortall seede, but of immortall, by the woorde of God, who liueth and endureth for euer.

24    ^noteFor all ^{note note} flesh is as grasse, and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse. The grasse withereth, and the flower falleth away.

25    ^noteBut the woorde of the Lorde endureth for euer: and this is the woorde which is preached among you.

A stone in Sion. CHAP. II. 1 Hee exhorteth the newe borne in faith, to leade their liues answerable to the same: 6 and lest their faith should stagger, hee bringeth in that which was foretolde touching Christ. 11 Then hee willeth them to be obedient to Magistrates, 21 and that they patiently beare aduersitie after Christes example.

1   Wherefore, ^{note note} laying aside all maliciousnes, and all guile, and dissimulation, and enuie, and all euill speaking,

2    ^noteAs ^note newe borne babes desire that sincere milke of the woorde, that yee may growe thereby,

3    ^noteBecause yee ^note haue tasted that the Lorde is bountifull.

4    ^noteTo whome comming as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of men, but chosen of God and precious,

5   Yee also as liuely stones, bee made a spirituall house, ^note an holy ^note Priesthoode to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ.

6    ^noteWherefore also it is conteyned in the Scripture, ^note Beholde, I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone, elect and precious: and hee that beleeueth therein, shall not be ashamed.

7    ^noteVnto you therefore which beleeue, it is precious: but vnto them which be disobedient, the ^note stone which the builders disalowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8   And a ^note stone to stumble at, and a rocke of offence, euen to them which stumble at the woorde, being disobedient, vnto the which thing they were euen ordeined.

9    ^noteBut yee are a chosen generation, a royall ^note Priesthoode, an holy nation, a people set at libertie, To obey magistrates. that yee shoulde shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marueilous light,

10    ^noteWhich in time past were not a people, yet are nowe the people of God: which in time past were not vnder mercie, but nowe haue obteined mercie.

11    ^noteDearely beloued, ^note I beseeche you, as strangers and pilgrims, ^{note note} absteine from fleshly lusts, ^note which fight against the soule,

12    ^{note note}And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers, ^note may by your ^note good woorkes which they shall see, glorifie God in the day of ^note visitation.

13    ^{note note}Therefore submit your selues vnto ^note all maner ordinance of man ^note for the Lordes sake, ^note whether it be vnto the King, as vnto the superiour,

14   Or vnto gouernours, as vnto them that are sent of him, ^note for the punishment of euill doers, and for the praise of them that doe well.

15    ^noteFor so is the will of God, that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men,

16   As free, and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of maliciousnesse, but as the seruauntes of God.

17    ^{note note}Honour all men: ^note loue ^note brotherly fellowship: feare God: honour the King.

18    ^{note note}Seruaunts, be subiect to your masters with all feare, not onely to the good and courteous, but also to the froward.

19    ^{note note}For this is thanke worthie, if a man

Stray sheepe. for ^note conscience toward God endure griefe, suffering wrongfully.

20   For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faultes, yee take it paciently? but and if when ye doe well, ye suffer wrong and take it paciently, this is acceptable to God.

21    ^noteFor hereunto ye are called: for Christ also suffred for you, leauing you an ^note ensample that ye should folow his steppes.

22    ^noteWho did no sinne, neither was there guile found in his mouth.

23   Who when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe: when hee suffered, hee threatned not, but ^note c&obar;mitted it to him ^note that iudgeth righteously.

24    ^{note note}Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sinne, should liue in righteousnesse: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25   For ye were as sheepe going astray: but are nowe returned vnto the shepheard and Bishop of your soules. CHAP. III. 1 That Christian women shoulde not contemne their husbandes though they bee infidels, 5 hee bringeth in examples of godly women. 8 Generall exhortations, 14 paciently to beare persecutions, 15 and boldly to yeelde a reason of their faith. 18 Christes example.

1   Likewise ^{note note} let the wiues bee subiect to their husbandes, ^note that euen they which obey not the worde, may without the worde be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues,

2   While they beholde your pure conuersation, which is with feare.

3    ^{note note}Whose apparelling, let it not be that outwarde, with broyded heare, and golde put about, or in putting on of apparell:

4   But let it bee the ^note hidde man of the heart, which consisteth in the incorruption of a meeke and quiet spirite, which is ^note before God a thing much set by.

5    ^noteFor euen after this maner in time past did the holy women, which trusted in God, tire them selues, and were subiect to their husbands.

6   As Sara obeyed Abraham, and ^note called him Sir: whose daughters ye are, whiles yee doe well, ^note not being afraide of any terrour.

7    ^{note note}Likewise ye husbands, ^note dwel with them as men of ^note knowledge, ^note giuing ^note honour vnto Suffer for righteousnesse. the woman, as vnto the weaker ^note vessell, ^note euen as they which are heires together of the ^note grace of life, ^note that your prayers be not interrupted.

8    ^noteFinally, be ye all of one minde: one suffer with another: loue as brethren: bee pitifull: bee courteous,

9    ^{note note}Not rendring euil for euill, neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrarywise blesse, ^note knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should be heires of blessing.

10    ^{note note}For if any man long after life, and to ^note see good dayes, let him refraine his tongue from euill, and his lippes that they speake no guile.

11    ^noteLet him eschew euil, and do good: let him seeke peace, and folow after it.

12   For the eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous, & his eares are open vnto their prayers: and the ^note face of the Lord is against them that do euil.

13    ^noteAnd who is it that will harme you, if ye folow that which is good?

14    ^noteNotwithstanding blessed are ye, if ye suffer for righteousnes sake. ^noteYea, ^note feare not their ^note feare, neither be troubled.

15   But ^note sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts: ^note and be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekenesse and reuerence,

16   Hauing a good c&obar;science, þt; wh&ebar; they speake euill of you as of euill doers, they may be ashamed, which slander your good conuersation in Christ.

17    ^noteFor it is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing, then for euil doing.

18    ^{note note}For Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes, ^note the iust for the vniust, ^note that he might

To cease from sinne. bring vs to God, ^note and was put to death concerning the ^note flesh, but was quickened by the spirit.

19    ^noteBy ^note the which hee also went, and preached vnto the ^note spirits that are in prison.

20   Which were in time passed disobedient, when ^note once the long suffering of God abode in the dayes of ^note Noe, while the Arke was preparing, wherein fewe, that is, eight ^note soules were saued in the water.

21    ^noteWhereof the baptisme that nowe is, answering that figure, (which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a confident demaunding which a good conscience maketh to ^note God) saueth vs also ^note by the resurrection of Iesus Christ,

22   Which is at the right hande of God, gone into heauen, to whome the Angels, and Powers, and might are subiect. CHAP. IIII. 1 Hee bringeth in Christes example, and applieth it 6 to the mortifying of the flesh, especially commending Charitie: 12 And so intreateth of patience. 17 That it is necessarie that correction beginne at the Church.

1   Forasmuch ^note then as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh, arme your selues likewise with the same minde, which is, that he which hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sinne,

2   That he hence forward should liue (as much time as ^note remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God.

3    ^{note note}For it is sufficient for vs that we haue sp&ebar;t the time past of þe; life, after the ^note lust of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnes, lustes, drunkenes, in gluttonie, drinkings, & in abominable idolatries.

4    ^noteWherein it seemeth to them ^note strange, that yee runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot: therefore speake they euill of you,

5   Which shall giue accounts to him, that is readie to iudge quicke and dead.

6    ^noteFor vnto this purpose was the Gospell God beginneth at his. preached also vnto the dead, that they might bee condemned, according to men in the flesh, but might liue according to God in the spirit.

7    ^noteNow the ende of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watching in prayer.

8    ^noteBut aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you: ^note for loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes.

9    ^noteBe ye ^note harberous one to another, without grudging.

10    ^{note note}Let euery man as hee hath receiued the gift, minister the same one to another, ^note as good disposers of the manifolde grace of God.

11    ^noteIf any man speake, let him speake as the wordes of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the abilitie which God ministreth, that God in al things may be glorified through Iesus Christ, to whome is prayse and dominion for euer, and euer, Amen.

12    ^noteDearely beloued, thinke it not ^note strange ^note concerning the firie triall, which is among you to proue you, as though some strange thing were come vnto you:

13    ^noteBut reioyce, in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christs suffrings, that when his glory shall appeare, ye may be glad and reioyce.

14    ^{note note}If yee be railed vpon for the Name of Christ, blessed are ye: for the ^note spirit of glory, and of God resteth vpon you: which on their part is euill spoken of: but on your part is glorified.

15    ^noteBut let none of you suffer as a murtherer, or as a thiefe, or an euil doer, or as a busibodie in other mens matters.

16   But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not bee ashamed: but let him glorifie God in this behalfe.

17    ^noteFor the time is come, that iudgement must beginne at the house of God. ^noteIf it first beginne at vs, what shall the ende be of them which obey not the Gospel of God?

18    ^noteAnd if the righteous scarcely bee saued,

Feede Gods flocke. where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare?

19    ^noteWherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their soules to him in well doing, as vnto a faithfull Creator. CHAP. V. 1 Hee warneth the Elders not to vsurpe authoritie ouer the Church, 5 willing the yonger sort to be willing to be taught, and to be modest, 8 to be sober and watchfull to resist the cruell aduersarie.

1   The ^note elders which are among you, ^note I beseech which am also an elder, and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shalbe reueiled,

2    ^{note note}Feede the ^note flocke of God, which ^note dependeth vp&obar; you, ^note caring for it not by constraint, but willingly: not for filthy lucre, but of a ready minde:

3   Not as though ye were lords ouer Gods ^note heritage, but that yee may bee ensamples to the flocke.

4    ^noteAnd when that chiefe shepheard shal appeare, ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory.

5    ^noteLikewise ye yonger, submit your selues vnto the elders, & submit your selues euery man, one to another: ^note decke your selues inwardly in The roaring lyon. lowlinesse of minde: ^note for ^note God resisteth the proude, and giueth grace to the humble.

6   Humble ^note your selues therefore ^note vnder the mightie hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

7    ^noteCast all your care on him: for he careth for you.

8    ^noteBe sober, and watch: for ^note your aduersarie the deuil as a roaring lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may deuoure:

9   Whom resist stedfast in the faith, ^note knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your ^note brethren which are in the world.

10    ^noteAnd the God of all grace, which hath called vs vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus, after that ye haue suffered a litle, make you perfite, confirme, strengthen and stablish you.

11   To him be glory and dominion for euer and euer, Amen.

12    ^noteBy Syluanus a faithfull brother vnto you, as I suppose, haue I written briefly, exhorting and testifying how that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.

13    ^noteThe Church that is at ^note Babylon elected together with you, saluteth you, and Marcus my sonne.

14   Greete ye one another with the ^note kisse of loue. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Iesus, Amen.

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