Saturday of the 27th week after Pentecost

Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims scattered throughout Póntus, Galátia, Cappadócia, Asia, and Bithýnia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you and peace be multiplied… Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found unto praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them did signify, when It testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow. Unto them it was revealed that, not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which now have been reported unto you through those who have preached the Gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; things into which the Angels desire to look… Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is Holy, so be you also holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be ye holy, for I am Holy.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your vain conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Who indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who through Him do believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, see that you love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which lives and abides forever, for “all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the Word which by the Gospel was preached unto you. Therefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming unto Him as unto a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be put to shame.”

My beloved, Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who did not sin, neither was guile found in His mouth”; Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness … by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but are now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls… Wives, likewise, be subject to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your beauty be merely the outward adorning of arranging the hair, and of wearing gold, or of putting on fine apparel; but rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called unto this, that you should inherit a blessing.

My beloved, forasmuch as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past life in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the Gospel was preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be sober and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love shall cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, so that God may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another… Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual restore, such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted… Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ…

Brethren, I think that God has shown us, the Apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle unto the world, both to Angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are despised! To the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. Therefore I beseech you, to follow me.