Peter, an apostle of ‘ISA1 AL-MASIH2, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2according to the foreknowledge of God3 the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit4, that you may obey ‘ISA AL-MASIH and be sprinkled in his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD ‘ISA AL-MASIH, who according to his great mercy has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of ‘ISA AL-MASIH from the dead, 4to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of ‘ISA AL-MASIH—8whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you do not see him, yet you believe, and rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory—9receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of AL-MASIH, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of AL-MASIH, and the glories that would follow them. 12To those prophets it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Injil5 to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; these things angels desire to look into.
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of ‘ISA AL-MASIH—14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behaviour; 16because it is written,
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 6
17If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of AL-MASIH; 20who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, 21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the Word of God, which lives and remains forever. 24For,
“All men are like grass, And all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, and its flower falls; 25But the Word of the Lord stands forever.” 7
This is the Word of the Injil which was preached to you.
- 1:1 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 1:1 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 1:2 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 1:2 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
- 1:12 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 1:16 Quoting the Taurat, Leviticus 19:1-2 which says: YAHWEH spoke to Musa, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of Bani-Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I YAHWEH your God am holy.'” ↩︎
- 1:24-25 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 40:6-8 which says: The voice of one saying, “Cry out!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of YAHWEH blows on it; surely the people is grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; but the Word of our God stands forever.” ↩︎