A   Peter an Apostle of Iesu Chryst, to them that dwell ^note here and there as straun thorowout Pontus, Galacia, Capadocya: Asia, and Bethynia, electe accordyng to þe; for knowledge of God þe; farthe thorow the sanctifynge of the sprete vnto obedience ∧ ^note sprincklyng of the bloude of Iesus Chryst.

^noteGrace be wyth you and peace be multiplyed. ^noteBlessed be God the father of oure Lord Iesus Chryst, whych accordyng to his aboundant mercye begat vs agayne vnto a ^note lyuely hope (by that that Iesus Christ rose agayne from deeth) to an inheryta&ubar;ce immortall and vndefyled, and that perissheth not, reserued in heauen for you, whych are kept by the power of of God thorow fayth, vnto saluacion, B   whych is prepared allready to be shewed in the last tyme, in the whych ye reioyce, though now for a season (yf nede require) ye are in heuynes, thorowe manifolde temptacyons, that the triall of youre fayth beyng moche more precious then golde that peryssheth (though it be ^note tryed with fyre) myght be fo&ubar;de vnto laude, glory and honoure, at the apperynge of Iesus Chryst, wh&obar; ye haue not sene, ∧ yet loue hym, &ibar; whome euen now, ^note though ye se hym not, yet do you beleue, and reioyce with ioye vnspeakable and glorious receauyge the ende of your fayth, euen the saluacyon of youre soules.

Of whych saluacyon haue ^note the Prophetes enquyred and searched, whych prophesyed of the grace that shuld come vnto you, searchyng when or at what tyme the sprete of Chryst (whych was in them) shuld sygnifye, whych sprete testifyed before, þe; passy&obar;s that shuld happen vnto Chryst, ∧ the glory that shulde folowe after, vnto whych Prophetes it was also declared, þt; not vnto th&ebar; selues, but vnto vs, they shulde minyster the thynges whych are now shewed vnto you C    of th&ebar;, whych (by the holy goost ^note sent downe fr&obar; heauen) haue in the Gospell preached vnto you the thynges, whych the angels desyre to beholde.

Wherfore ^note gyrde vp the loynes of youre mynde, be sober, ∧ trust perfectly on þe; grace that is brought vnto you (by þe; declaryng of Iesus Chryst) as obedient chyldren, þt; ye geue not youre selues ouer vnto youre olde lustes, by whych ye were led, whan as yet ye were ignora&ubar;t of Christ: but as he which called you, is holy, euen so be ye holy also in all maner of conuersacyon, because it is writt&ebar;. ^noteBe holy, for I am holy.

And yf so be that ye call on þe; father, which wythout respect of person iudgeth ^note accord&ibar;g to euery mannes worke, se that ye passe the tyme of youre pilgremage in feare. &cross2; D   For as moch as ye knowe, how that ye were not redemed wyth corruptible thynges (as syluer ∧ golde) from youre vayne conuersaci&obar;, whych ye receaued by the tradicion of the fathers: but ^note &wt; þe; precious bloude of Chryst, as of a lambe vndefyled, and wythout spot, whych was ordeyned before hande, euen before þe; worlde was made: but was declared in the last tymes ^note for your sakes, whych by his meanes do beleue on God, þt; raysed hym vp fr&obar; deeth, ∧ ^note gloryfyed hym, þt; ye might haue fayth and hope toward God: euen ye whych haue purifyed youre soules thorow the sprete, in obeynge the trueth wyth brotherly loue vnfayned, se that ye loue one another wyth a pure hert feru&ebar;tly: for ye are borne a newe, not of mortall seed, but of immortall, by the worde of God, which lyueth and lasteth for euer.

^noteFor all flesshe is grasse, and all the glory of m&abar; is as the floure of grasse. The grasse wyddereth, and the floure falleth awaye, but the worde of the Lord endureth euer &cross3; And thys is the worde, whych by the Gospell was preached vnto you. ¶ The .ij. Chapter. &cross2; ¶ He exhorteth men to laye asyde all vice, to absteyne from fleshly lustes, and to obeye wordly rulers. How seruauntes shulde behaue them selues toward their masters. He exhorteth to suffre after the ensample of Chryst.

A   Wherfore laye asyde all maliciousnes ∧ al gyle, ∧ faynednesse ∧ enuy and all backbytinge: ∧ ^note as new borne babes, desyre ye þt; mylke (not of the body but of the soule) which is &wt; out disceate þt; ye maye growe ther by (vnto saluacyon) If so be þt; ye haue tasted, how gracious the Lorde is, to wh&obar; ye come, as vnto a lyu&ibar;ge stone, disalowed of m&ebar;, but chos&ebar; of God ∧ precio&us;: ∧ ye as lyu&ibar;ge stones, are made a spretuall house an holy presthode, for to offer vp spretual sacrifyces, acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. B   Wherfore it is c&obar;tayned also in þe; scripture: ^note beholde I put &ibar; Si&obar; a stone to be layed &ibar; þe; chefe corner, electe ∧ precious. ∧ he þt; beleueth on him shall not be c&obar;fo&ubar;ded. Unto you therfore whych beleue he is precious: but vnto them which beleue not ^note þe; stone which þe; buylders refused, the same is begonne to be þe; heed of the

corner, and a stone that men stomble at, and a rocke wherat they be offended whych st&obar;ble at the worde, and beleue not that, wheron they were set. But ye are a chosen generacion, a royall ^note presthod, ^note an holy nacyon, a people whych are wonne: that ye shuld shewe the vertues of hym, that called you out of darcknes into hys meruclous lyght, ^note whych in tyme past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which some time had not optayned mercye, but now haue optayned mercye. &cross3;

C   &cross2; ^note Dearly beloued, I beseche you as straungers and pylgrems, abstayne ^note from fleshly lustes, which fyght against the soule, ∧ se that ye haue honest conuersacion am&obar;ge the Gentyles, that where as they backbyte you as euyll doars ^note they maye se your good workes, and prayse God &lhand; in the daye of vysytacion.

^noteSubmyt youre selues therfore vnto all maner ordina&ubar;ce of man for the lordes sake, whether it be vnto the kynge, as vnto the chefe heed: other vnto rulars, as vnto them that are sent of hym, for the punysshem&ebar;t of euyll doars, but for the laude of them, that do well. For so is þe; wyll of God, that wyth well doyng ye maye stoppe the mouthes of foolysh ∧ ignoraunt men: as fre, ∧ not as hauinge the lybertie for a cloacke of maliciousnes, but euen as the seruauntes of God ^note Honoure all men. Loue brotherly feleshyppe. Feare God, honoure the kynge.

^noteSeruauntes, obey your masters &wt; feare not onely yf they be good ∧ courteo&us;: but also though they be frowarde ^note For it is th&abar;ke worthye &cross3; yf a m&abar; for c&obar;sci&ebar;ce towarde God endure grefe, and suffer wrong vndeserued. For what prayse is it, yf when ye be buffeted for your fautes, ye take it pacy&ebar;tly? But ∧ yf when ye do well, ye suffer wr&obar;ge ∧ take it paciently, then is ther th&abar;ke &wt; God.

D   For here vnto verely were ye called: for &cross2; Christ also suffered for vs ^note leauynge vs an ensample, that ye shulde folowe his steppes, whych dyd no synne, nether was there gyle fo&ubar;d in hys mouth: whych wh&ebar; he was reuyled, reuyled not agayne: when he suffered, he threatened not, but c&obar;mitted the v&ebar;geaunce to hym that iudgeth ryghteously ^note whych hys awne selfe bare our synnes in his body on the tree, that we beyng delyuered from synne, shuld lyue vnto ryghteousnes. By whose strypes ye were healed. For ye were as shepe goyng astraye: but are now turned vnto the shepeherd and bysshope of youre soules. &cross3; ¶ The .iij. Chapter. ¶ How wyues oughte to ordre th&ebar; selues towarde their husbandes, ∧ in theyr apparell. The dutye of men toward theyr wyues He exhorteth all m&ebar; to vnite and loue, and patiently to suffre trouble. Of baptyme.

A   Likewyse ^note ye wyues be in subieccyon to youre husbandes, that euen they whych obeye not the worde, maye without the worde be w&obar;ne by the conuersacyon of the wyues, whyll they beholde youre chast conuersacyon coupled wyth feare. Whose apparell shall not be outward &wt; broyded heare, ∧ hangyng on of golde, ether in puttynge on of gorgyous apparell: but let the hyd m&abar; which is in the herte, be without all corrupcyon, so that the sprete be at rest and quyete: whych sprete is before God a thynge moch set by. B   For after this maner in the olde tyme dyd the holy wemen which trusted in God, tyer them selues, and were obedient to their husbandes, eu&ebar; as Sara obeyed Abraham, and called hym Lorde: whose daughters ye are, as longe as ye do well, ∧ are not afrayde for anye terrour.

Lykewyse, ye m&ebar;, dwell with them accordynge to knowledge: geuyng honoure vnto the wife, as vnto þe; weaker vessell, ∧ as vnto them þt; are heyres also of the grace of lyfe that youre prayers be not hyndred. &cross2; In c&obar;clusyon, be ye all of one mynde, of one hart ∧ loue as brethren, be petifull, be courteous (meke) not r&ebar;drynge euyll for euyll, or rebuke for rebuke: but c&obar;trarywise, blesse: knowinge that ye are ther vnto called, eu&ebar; that ye shulde be heyres of the blessynge. ^note C   For he that doth longe after lyfe, and loueth to se good dayes, let hym refrayne his t&obar;ge from euyll, ∧ his lippes þt; they speake not gyle. Let h&ibar; eschue euyll, ∧ do good: let him seke peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of þe; Lord are ouer the ryghteous, and hys eares are open vnto their prayers. Agayne: the face of the Lorde is ouer them that do euyll.

Morouer, who is it that wyll harme you, yf ye folowe þt; whych is good? Yee, ^note happy are ye, yf anye trouble happen vnto you for rightewesnesse sake. ^noteBe not ye afrayed for anye terroure of them, nether be ye troubled but sanctifye the Lorde God in youre hertes &cross3; Be ready allwayes to geue an answere to euery m&abar; that asketh you a reason of þe; hope that is in you, and that with meaknes and feare: hauynge a good conscience ^note that where as they backbyte you as euyll doars, they maye be ashamed, þt; falsely accuse your good conuersacion in Chryst.

^noteFor it is better (yf the wyll of God be so) that ye suffre for well doynge, then for euyll doinge.

D   &cross2; ^note For as moch as Christ hath once suffered for synnes, þe; iust for the vniust, to br&ibar;g vs to God, and was kylled, as pertayninge to the flesshe: but was quyckened in the sprete.

In whych sprete he also went ∧ preached vnto the spretes that were in preson, which

some tyme had bene disobedyent, when the longe sufferynge of God was once loked for in the dayes of Noe ^note whyll the arcke was a preparyng: ^note wherin feaw, that is to saye viij. soules, were saued by the water, like as &rhand; ^note baptyme also now saueth vs, not the puttynge awaye of the fylth of the flesshe, but in that a good conseyence consenteth to God, by the resurreccyon of Iesus Christ, whych is on the ryghte h&abar;de of God: &cross3; and is gone into heauen, ^note angels, powers, and myght subdued vnto hym. ¶ The .iiij. Chapter. ¶ He exhorteth men to ceasse from synne, and no man to suffre as an euell doer, but as a Christen man.

A   For as moch then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the flesshe, arme ye youre selues lykewyse with the same mynde: for he whych suffereth in the flesshe, ceaseth from synne that he hence forwarde shulde lyue (as moch tyme as remayneth in the flesshe) not after the lustes of men, but after the wyll of God. For it is sufficyent for vs, that we haue spent the tyme that is past of the lyfe, after the wyll of the ^note Gentyls, walkynge in wantannes, lustes, in excesse of wynes, in excesse of eatynge, in excesse of drinkynge (in dronkenesse) and in abomynable ydolatrie.

B   And it semeth to th&ebar; an inconueni&ebar;t thynge, that ye runne not also with them vnto þe; same excesse of ryote, ∧ therfore speake they euyll of you, whych shall geue acomptes to him, that is ready to iudge quicke and deed. For vnto thys purpose verely was þe; Gospell preached also vnto the deed, that they shuld be iudged lyke other men in the flesshe, but shuld lyue before God in the sprete. The ende of al thinges is at hande.

&cross2; Be ye therfore sober, and watch vnto prayer. But aboue all thynges haue feru&ebar;t loue among your selues. For loue shall couer the multitude of synnes. ^noteBe ye herberous one to another, ^note wythout grudgynge. As euery man hath receaued the gyfte, euen so mynister the same one to another, as good mynisters of the manyfolde grace of God. C   If eny man speake, let him talke as the wordes of God. ^noteIf eny man mynister, let him do it as ^note of the abylite, whych God mynystreth vnto hym. That God in all thynges maye be glorifyed thorow Iesus Christ, &cross3; to whom be prayse and dominion for euer and euer. Amen.

Dearly beloued, maruayll not that ye are proued by fyre (whych thyng is to trye you) as though some stra&ubar;ge thing happened vnto you: but reioyce, in as moch as ye are partakers of Christes passyons: that when hys glory appeareth, ye maye be mery and glad. ^noteIf ye be rayled vpon for þe; name of Christ, happie are ye. For the glory and the sprete of God resteth vpon you. On their parte he is euyll spoken of: but on youre parte he is glorifyed.

D   Se þt; none of you be punysshed as a murtherer, or as a thefe, or an euyll doar, or as a busybody in other mens matters. If eny m&abar; suffre as a Christen m&abar;, let him not be ashamed: but let h&ibar; glorifye God on this behalfe. For the tyme is come, that iudgement must begynne at the house of God. If it fyrst begynne at vs, what shall the ende be of them, whych beleue not the Gospell of God? And ^note yf the ryghteous scarcely be saued: where shall þe; vngodly &abar;d þe; synner appeare? Wherfore, let th&ebar; þt; are troubled accordyng to the wyll of God, c&obar;myt their soules to him with well doynge, as vnto a faythfull creator. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ A speciall exhortacyon for all bisshopes and Prestes. He exhorteth yonge personnes to submyt them selues to the elder, and euery one to loue another.

A   The elders which are amonge you, I exhorte, which am also an elder, and a wytnes of the affliccyons of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shalbe opened: ^note Fede ye Christes flocke, asmoch as lyeth in you, takynge the ouersyght of them, not as compelled therto, but wyllyngly: (after a godly sorte) not for the desyre of fylthy lucre: but of a good mynde, ^note not as though ye were lordes ouer the parisshes: but ^note that ye be an ensample to the flocke ^note (and that wyth good wyll) And when the chefe sheperd shall appeare; yee shal receaue, ^note an incorruptibile crowne of glorie. B   Lykewyse ye yonger, submyt your selues vnto the elder: Submit youre selues euery man, one to another, knyt youre selues together in lowlynes of mynde. For God resisteth the proude, and geueth grace to the humble &cross2; Submyt youre selues therfore vnder the myghty hande of God, that he maye exalte you, when the tyme is come. ^noteCast all your care vpon him: for he careth for you.

C   Be sober and watch, for youre aduersary þe; deuyll as a roaring lyon ^note walketh about, sekyng whom he maye deuoure: ^note whom resyst stedfast in the fayth, knowing, þt; the same affliccyons are apoynted vnto your brethren, that are in the worlde. But the God of all grace whych hath called vs vnto hys eternall glory by Christ Iesus, shall hys awne selfe (after that ye haue suffred a lytell affliccyon) make you perfect: settle, strength and stablisshe you. To him be glory and dominyon for euer, and euer. Amen. &cross3;

D   By Syluanus a faythfull brother vnto you (as I suppose) haue I wrytten brefly, exhortynge and testifyinge, how that thys is the true grace of God, wherin ye stande. The c&obar;gregacyon of them whych at Babylon are companyons of youre eleccyon, saluteth

you, and so doth Marcus my sonne. ^noteGrete ye one another wyth the kysse of loue. Peace be &wt; you all, which are in Christ Iesu. Amen.

Previous section

Next section