2God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

6So be truly glad.1:6 Or So you are truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

7These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

8You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

9The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

10This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.

11They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

12They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

17And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”

18For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

19It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

20God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

21Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.1:22a Greek must have brotherly love. Love each other deeply with all your heart.1:22b Some manuscripts read with a pure heart.

23For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

24As the Scriptures say,