[2] Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

[3] Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

[4] For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

[5] Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

[6] And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

[7] In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

[8] In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.

[9] But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

[10] Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

[11] Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

[12] These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted —twice dead.

[9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

[10] For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

[11] He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

[12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

[13] Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

[14] But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”

[15] But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

[16] keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

[17] It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

[18] For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

[19] through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

[20] who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

[21] and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

[22] who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand —with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

[2]  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

[3]  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

[4]  As you come to him, the living Stone —rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—

[5]  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

[6]  For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

[7]  Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, ”

[8]  and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

[9]  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

[10]  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

[11]  Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

[12]  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

[2] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise to God for a Living Hope

[3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

[4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,

[5] who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

[6] In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

[7] These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

[8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

[9] for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

[2]  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 

[3]  Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 

[4]  Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

[5]  You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

 [6]  You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

[7]  Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 

[8]  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 

[9]  Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

[10]  Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

[11]  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

[12]  Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

[13]  Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

[14]  Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

[15]  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

[16]  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

[17]  Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

[18]  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

[19]  My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,

[20]  remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.