Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who dwell as foreigners up and down Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Petrus Apostolus Jesu Christi, electis advenis dispersionis Ponti, Galatiæ, Cappadociæ, Asiæ, et Bithyniæ,

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect,

chosen in the foreknowledge of God the Father, to be sanctified by the Spirit, to give their allegiance to Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood; Grace and peace be yours abundantly.

secundum præscientiam Dei Patris, in sanctificationem Spiritus, in obedientiam, et aspersionem sanguinis Jesu Christi. Gratia vobis, et pax multiplicetur.

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, unto the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be that God, that Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has begotten us anew, making hope live in us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Benedictus Deus et Pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui secundum misericordiam suam magnam regeneravit nos in spem vivam, per resurrectionem Jesu Christi ex mortuis,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy hath regenerated us unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

We are to share an inheritance that is incorruptible, inviolable, unfading. It is stored up for you in heaven;

in hæreditatem incorruptibilem, et incontaminatam, et immarcescibilem, conservatam in cælis in vobis,

Unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that can not fade, reserved in heaven for you,

and meanwhile, through your faith, the power of God affords you safe conduct till you reach it, this salvation which is waiting to be disclosed at the end of time.

qui in virtute Dei custodimini per fidem in salutem, paratam revelari in tempore novissimo.

Who, by the power of God, are kept by faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

Then you will be triumphant. What if you have trials of many sorts to sadden your hearts in this brief interval? That must needs happen,

In quo exsultabis, modicum nunc si oportet contristari in variis tentationibus:

Wherein you shall greatly rejoice, if now you must be for a little time made sorrowful in divers temptations:

so that you may give proof of your faith, a much more precious thing than the gold we test by fire; proof which will bring you praise, and glory, and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

ut probatio vestræ fidei multo pretiosior auro (quod per ignem probatur) inveniatur in laudem, et gloriam, et honorem in revelatione Jesu Christi:

That the trial of your faith (much more precious than gold which is tried by the fire) may be found unto praise and glory and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

You never saw him, but you learned to love him; you may not see him even now, but you believe in him; and, if you continue to believe in him, how you will triumph! How ineffable your joy will be, and how sublime,

quem cum non videritis, diligitis: in quem nunc quoque non videntes creditis: credentes autem exsultabitis lætitia inenarrabili, et glorificata:

Whom having not seen, you love: in whom also now, though you see him not, you believe: and believing shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified;

when you reap the fruit of that faith of yours, the salvation of your souls!

reportantes finem fidei vestræ, salutem animarum.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Salvation was the aim and quest of the prophets, and the grace of which they prophesied has been reserved for you.

De qua salute exquisierunt, atque scrutati sunt prophetæ, qui de futura in vobis gratia prophetaverunt:

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently searched, who prophesied of the grace to come in you.

The Spirit of Christ was in them, making known to them the sufferings which Christ’s cause brings with it, and the glory that crowns them; when was it to be, and how was the time of it to be recognized?

scrutantes in quod vel quale tempus significaret in eis Spiritus Christi: prænuntians eas quæ in Christo sunt passiones, et posteriores glorias:

Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signify: when it foretold those sufferings that are in Christ, and the glories that should follow:

It was revealed to them that their errand was not to their own age, it was to you. And now the angels can satisfy their eager gaze; the Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven, and your evangelists have made the whole mystery plain, to you instead.

quibus revelatum est quia non sibimetipsis, vobis autem ministrabant ea quæ nunc nuntiata sunt vobis per eos qui evangelizaverunt vobis, Spiritu Sancto misso de cælo, in quem desiderant angeli prospicere.

To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you they ministered those things which are now declared to you by them that have preached the gospel to you, the Holy Ghost being sent down from heaven, on whom the angels desire to look.

Rid your minds, then, of every encumbrance, keep full mastery of your senses, and set your hopes on the gracious gift that is offered you when Jesus Christ appears.

Propter quod succincti lumbos mentis vestræ, sobrii, perfecte sperate in eam, quæ offertur vobis, gratiam, in revelationem Jesu Christi:

Wherefore having the loins of your mind girt up, being sober, trust perfectly in the grace which is offered you in the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Obedience should be native to you now; you must not retain the mould of your former untutored appetites.

quasi filii obedientiæ, non configurati prioribus ignorantiæ vestræ desideriis:

As children of obedience, not fashioned according to the former desires of your ignorance:

No, it is a holy God who has called you, and you too must be holy in all the ordering of your lives;

sed secundum eum qui vocavit vos, Sanctum: et ipsi in omni conversatione sancti sitis:

But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be you also in all manner of conversation holy:

You must be holy, the scripture says, because I am holy.

quoniam scriptum est: Sancti eritis, quoniam ego sanctus sum.

Because it is written: You shall be holy, for I am holy.

You appeal to God as your Father; yes, but he judges each man impartially by what he has done; look anxiously, then, to the ordering of your lives while your stay on earth lasts.

Et si patrem invocatis eum, qui sine acceptione personarum judicat secundum uniuscujusque opus, in timore incolatus vestri tempore conversamini.

And if you invoke as Father him who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every one’s work: converse in fear during the time of your sojourning here.

What was the ransom that freed you from the vain observances of ancestral tradition? You know well enough that it was not paid in earthly currency, silver or gold;

Scientes quod non corruptibilibus, auro vel argento, redempti estis de vana vestra conversatione paternæ traditionis:

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers:

it was paid in the precious blood of Christ; no lamb was ever so pure, so spotless a victim.

sed pretioso sanguine quasi agni immaculati Christi, et incontaminati:

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled,

Before the beginning of the world, God had foreknown him, but it was only in these last days that he was revealed, for your sakes;

præcogniti quidem ante mundi constitutionem, manifestati autem novissimis temporibus propter vos,

Foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the last times for you,

through him you have learned to be faithful to God, who raised him from the dead and endowed him with glory; your faith and your hope are to be centred in God.

qui per ipsum fideles estis in Deo, qui suscitavit eum a mortuis, et dedit ei gloriam, ut fides vestra et spes esset in Deo:

Who through him are faithful in God, who raised him up from the dead, and hath given him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.

Purify your souls with the discipline of charity, and give constant proof of your good will for each other, loving unaffectedly as brethren should,

animas vestras castificantes in obedientia caritatis, in fraternitatis amore, simplici ex corde invicem diligite attentius:

Purifying your souls in the obedience of charity, with a brotherly love, from a sincere heart love one another earnestly:

since you have all been born anew with an immortal, imperishable birth, through the word of God who lives and abides for ever.

renati non ex semine corruptibili, sed incorruptibili per verbum Dei vivi, et permanentis in æternum:

Being born again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God who liveth and remaineth for ever.

Yes, all mortal things are like grass, and all their glory like the bloom of grass; the grass withers, and its bloom falls,

quia omnis caro ut fœnum: et omnis gloria ejus tamquam flos fœni: exaruit fœnum, et flos ejus decidit.

For all flesh is as grass; and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass is withered, and the flower thereof is fallen away.

but the word of the Lord lasts for ever. And this word is nothing other than the gospel which has been preached to you.

Verbum autem Domini manet in æternum: hoc est autem verbum, quod evangelizatum est in vos.

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel hath been preached unto you.