The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (270 page)

  
a rock that will make them fall";

for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9
 
But you
are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people,
^e
that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
¹⁰
Once you were
no people
but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.

Live as Servants of God

11
 Beloved, I beg you as
aliens and exiles
to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul.
¹²
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may
see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day of visitation.

13
 
Be subject for the Lord's sake
to every human institution,
^f
whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
¹⁴
or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
¹⁵
For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
¹⁶
Live as free men
, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God.
¹⁷
Honor all men. Love
the brotherhood
. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

The Example of Christ's Suffering

18
 
Servants
, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing.
¹⁹
For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly.
²⁰
For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God's approval.
²¹
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
²²
He
committed no sin
; no guile was found on his lips.
²³
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly.
²⁴
He himself bore our sins in his body on
the tree
,
^g
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
²⁵
For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the
Shepherd and Guardian
of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

3
  
*
 
Likewise
you wives,
be submissive to your husbands
, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
²
when they see your reverent and chaste behavior.
³
Let not yours be the
outward adorning
with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of robes,
⁴
but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.
⁵
So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands,
⁶
as Sarah obeyed Abraham,
calling him lord
. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you.

7
 Likewise you
husbands, live considerately
with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Doing Right

8
 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind.
⁹
Do not return evil
for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing.
¹⁰
For

  
"
He that would love life

  
and see good days,

  
let him keep his tongue from evil

  
and his lips from speaking guile;

¹¹
let him turn away from evil and do right;

  
let him seek peace and pursue it.

¹²
For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,

  
and his ears are open to their prayer.

  
But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil."

13
 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right?
¹⁴
But even if you do
suffer for righteousness' sake
, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
¹⁵
but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to
make a defense
to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;
¹⁶
and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
¹⁷
For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.
¹⁸
For Christ also died
^h
for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit;
¹⁹
in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison,
²⁰
who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
²¹
Baptism
, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an
appeal
to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
²²
who has gone into heaven and is at the
right hand
of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Good Stewards of God's Grace

4
  
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,
ⁱ
arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has
ceased from sin
,
 
*
²
so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human passions but by
the will of God
.
³
Let the time that is past suffice for doing what
the Gentiles like to do
, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
⁴
They are surprised that you do not now join them in the same wild debauchery, and they abuse you;
⁵
but they will give account to him who is ready to judge
the living and the dead
.
⁶
For this is why
the gospel was preached
even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.

7
 The
end of all things
is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers.
⁸
Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since
love covers a multitude of sins
.
⁹
Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another.
¹⁰
As
each has received a gift
, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
¹¹
whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffering as a Christian

12
 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you.
¹³
But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
¹⁴
If you are
reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed
, because the spirit of glory
^j
and of God rests upon you.
¹⁵
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker;
¹⁶
yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God.
¹⁷
For the time has come for judgment to begin with
the household of God
; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
¹⁸
And

  
"
If the righteous man
is scarcely saved,

  
where will the impious and sinner appear?"

¹⁹
Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will do right and entrust their souls to a faithful Creator.

Tending the Flock of Christ

5
  
So I exhort
the elders
among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed.
²
Tend the flock of God that is your charge,
^k
not by constraint but willingly,
^l
not for shameful gain but eagerly,
³
not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.
⁴
And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory.
⁵
Likewise you that are younger
be subject to the elders
. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

6
 
Humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.
⁷
Cast
all your anxieties
on him, for he cares about you.
⁸
Be sober, be watchful.
Your adversary the devil
prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.
⁹
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.
¹⁰
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen
^m
you.
¹¹
To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings and Benediction

12
 By
Silva'nus
, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it.
¹³
She
who is at Babylon,
 
*
who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark.
¹⁴
Greet one another
with the kiss of love
.

Peace to all of you that are in Christ.

Commentary on The First of Saint Peter

1:1 Peter, an apostle:
Simon, the leader of the Twelve (Mt 10:2). Jesus renamed him "Peter", from the Greek
petros,
meaning "rock". The Aramaic equivalent of Peter is rendered "Cephas" (Jn 1:42) (CCC 552). See word study:
Peter
at Mt 16:18.
exiles:
Sojourners separated from their homeland (Heb 11:13-14). See introduction:
Destination.
Pontus . . . Bithynia:
The names of several provinces in northern Asia Minor (modern Turkey). 
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