1 Petre, apostle of Jhesu Crist, to the chosun men, to the comelingis of scateryng abrood, of Ponte, of Galathie, of Capadosie,

2 of Asye, and of Bitynye, bi the `bifor knowyng of God, the fadir, in halewyng of spirit, bi obedience, and springyng of the blood of Jhesu Crist, grace and pees be multiplied to you.

3 Blessid be God, and the fadir of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, which bi his greet merci bigat vs ayen in to lyuynge hope, bi the ayen risyng of Jhesu Crist fro deth,

4 in to eritage vncorruptible, and vndefoulid, and that schal not fade, that is kept in heuenes for you,

5 that in the vertu of God ben kept bi the feith in to heelthe, and is redi to be schewid in the last tyme.

6 In which ye schulen make ioye, thouy it bihoueth now a litil to be sori in dyuerse temptaciouns;

7 that the preuyng of youre feith be myche more preciouse than gold, that is preuyd bi fier; and be foundun in to heriyng, and glorie, and onour, in the reuelacioun of Jhesu Crist.

8 Whom whanne ye han not seyn, ye louen; in to whom also now ye not seynge, bileuen; but ye that bileuen schulen haue ioye, and gladnesse that may not be teld out,

9 and ye schulen be glorified, and haue the ende of youre feith, the helthe of youre soulis.

10 Of which helthe profetis souyten, and enserchiden, that profecieden of the grace to comyng in you,

11 and souyten which euer what maner tyme the spirit of Crist signyfiede in hem, and bifor telde tho passiouns, that ben in Crist, and the latere glories.

12 To which it was schewid, for not to hem silf, but to you thei mynystriden tho thingis, that now ben teld to you bi hem that prechiden to you bi the Hooli Goost sent fro heuene, in to whom aungelis desiren to biholde.

13 For which thing be ye gird the leendis of youre soule, sobre, perfit, and hope ye in to the ilke grace that is profrid to you bi the schewyng of Jhesu Crist,

14 as sones of obedience, not made lijk to the formere desiris of youre vnkunnyngnesse,

15 but lijk him that hath `clepid you hooli; that also `ye silf be hooli in `al lyuyng;

16 for it is writun, Ye schulen be hooli, for Y am hooli.

17 And if ye inwardli clepe him fadir, which demeth withouten accepcioun of persoones bi the werk of ech man, lyue ye in drede in the time of youre pilgrimage; witynge that not bi corruptible gold,

18 ethir siluer, ye ben bouyt ayen of youre veyn liuynge of fadris tradicioun,

19 but bi the precious blood as of the lomb vndefoulid and vnspottid,

20 Crist Jhesu, that was knowun bifor the makyng of the world, but he is schewid in the laste tymes,

21 for you that bi hym ben feithful in God; that reiside hym fro deth, and yaf to hym euerlastynge glorie, that youre feith and hope were in God.

22 And make ye chast youre soulis in obedience of charite, in loue of britherhod; of simple herte loue ye togidre more bisili.

23 And be ye borun ayen, not of corruptible seed, `but vncorruptible, bi the word of lyuynge God, and dwellynge in to with outen ende.

24 For ech fleisch is hey, and al the glorie of it is as flour of hey; the hei driede vp, and his flour felde doun;

25 but the word of the Lord dwellith with outen ende. And this is the word, that is prechid to you.