Letters to the Churches

each, according as he received a gift, to one another ministering it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;

if any one doth speak--`as oracles of God;' if any one doth minister--`as of the ability which God doth supply;' that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power--to the ages of the ages. Amen.

Beloved, think it not strange at the fiery suffering among you that is coming to try you, as if a strange thing were happening to you,

but, according as ye have fellowship with the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice ye, that also in the revelation of his glory ye may rejoice--exulting;

if ye be reproached in the name of Christ--happy are ye , because the Spirit of glory and of God upon you doth rest; in regard, indeed, to them, he is evil-spoken of, and in regard to you, he is glorified;

for let none of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evil-doer, or as an inspector into other men's matters;

and if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; and let him glorify God in this respect;

because it is the time of the beginning of the judgment from the house of God, and if first from us, what the end of those disobedient to the good news of God?

And if the righteous man is scarcely saved, the ungodly and sinner--where shall he appear?

so that also those suffering according to the will of god, as to a stedfast Creator, let them commit their own souls in good doing.

Elders who are among you, I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the glory about to be revealed a partaker,

feed the flock of God that is among you, overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind,

neither as exercising lordship over the heritages, but patterns becoming of the flock,

and at the manifestation of the chief Shepherd, ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.

In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace;

be humbled, then, under the powerful hand of God, that you He may exalt in good time,

all your care having cast upon Him, because He careth for you.

Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up,

whom resist, stedfast in the faith, having known the same sufferings to your brotherhood in the world to be accomplished.

And the God of all grace, who did call you to His age-during glory in Christ Jesus, having suffered a little, Himself make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you ;

to Him is the glory, and the power--to the ages and the ages! Amen.

Through Silvanus, to you the faithful brother, as I reckon, through few words I did write, exhorting and testifying this to be the true grace of God in which ye have stood.

Salute you doth the assembly in Babylon jointly elected, and Markus my son.

Salute ye one another in a kiss of love; peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus! Amen.

Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who did obtain a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: