1 Petrus 1
1 Petrus, Apostel Jesu Christi, an die auserwählten Fremdlinge in der Diaspora von Pontus, Galatien, Kappadozien, Asien und Bithynien.
I, Peter, who [have been appointed by] Jesus Christ {one whom Jesus Christ [has appointed]} to be an apostle, [am writing this letter] to you believers whom God has chosen to belong to him. [You are living] in [the Roman provinces of] Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. [Just like the Jews who lived in Israel long ago were] scattered [to other countries far from their homes] [MET], you now live [far from] heaven, which is [your true home].
2 Erwählt seid ihr, weil Gott, der Vater, es vorhergewußt, geheiligt durch den Geist, damit ihr gehorsam seid und mit dem Blute Jesu Christi besprengt werdet. In reicher Fülle werde Gnade euch zuteil und Friede!
God our Father previously chose you, and his Spirit has set you apart in order that you would obey Jesus Christ. He did that in order that [just like Moses] sprinkled [the Israelites with blood when God established the old covenant] [MET], [Jesus would establish his new covenant with you] with the blood [that flowed from his body when he died]. May God act very kindly to you, and may he give you much [inner] peace.
3 Gepriesen sei der Gott und Vater unseres Herrn Jesus Christus. In seiner großen Huld hat er uns wiedergeboren zu einer lebendigen Hoffnung durch die Auferstehung Jesu Christi von den Toten;
Praise God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because he has been very merciful to [us, he has given us new life] [MET]. Because he has caused Jesus Christ to become alive again after he died, he has enabled us to live very confidently; that is, to fully expect to receive the things [that God/he has promised to give us].
4 zu einem unvergänglichen, unbefleckten und unverwelklichen Erbe, das in den Himmeln für euch aufbewahrt ist,
He has enabled us to expect to receive an absolutely imperishable/indestructible [TRI] inheritance that has been {that [God] has} preserved in heaven for us.
5 für euch, die ihr in Gottes Allmacht behütet werdet des Glaubens wegen für das Heil, das in der Endzeit offenkundig werden soll.
God, by his mighty power, is guarding you as you trust in Jesus. [He is keeping you safe so] that he may, at the end of the time in which we now live (OR, when Jesus returns), completely deliver you [from Satan’s power].
6 Dann werdet ihr darob frohlocken, indes ihr jetzt, falls es nötig ist, in mannigfachen Prüfungen auf kurze Zeit Betrübnis habt.
You rejoice because of what will happen then, but now you are grieving for a short time while [God is allowing] you to be tested {[various things to] test you [MET]}, [as precious metals are tested] {[someone tests precious metals]} [to see if they are pure]. [These trials that you are experiencing are necessary]
7 Dadurch soll ja euer Glaube nur erprobt und wertvoller erfunden werden als das vergängliche Gold, das im Feuer geläutert wird. Ihr sollt so zum Lob und Preis und Ruhme dienen bei der Offenbarung Jesu Christi.
to prove that you really do trust in Jesus. His proving that will be more valuable than gold, [which does not last forever even] though it is purified [by being put] {someone tries to make it pure by [putting it]} [in a hot] fire. As a result of your passing the test [and proving that you really do trust in Jesus], God will honor you very highly [TRI] when Jesus Christ comes again.
8 Ihn liebt ihr, obwohl ihr ihn nicht gesehen habt, ihr glaubt an ihn, ohne ihn jetzt zu schauen. Deswegen werdet ihr in unaussprechlicher, verklärter Freude auch frohlocken,
You love [Jesus], although you have not seen him. Although you do not see him now, you rejoice very much [DOU]
9 wenn ihr das Ziel eures Glaubens erlangt habt, das Heil der Seelen.
because you are experiencing the result of your believing in him; that is, [God] is saving you [SYN] [from the guilt of your sins].
10 Nach diesem Heile suchten forschend die Propheten, die von der Gnade weissagten, die euch zuteil geworden ist.
As for those who [long ago] spoke messages that God had revealed to them about how God would act kindly toward you in ways which you did not deserve, they (investigated very carefully/tried very hard to learn) [DOU] about how God would save you.
11 Sie forschten nach dem Wann und Wie, auf die sie der Geist Christi, den sie besaßen, hinwies, da er die Leiden Christi vorhergesagt hat und die darauf folgende Verklärung.
They wanted to know whom the Spirit of Christ that was in them was referring to, and what time he was talking about, when he told beforehand that the Messiah would suffer [and die], and that glorious/wonderful things would happen [to him and to us] afterwards.
12 Es wurde ihnen ja geoffenbart, daß sie nicht sich, sondern euch zu Dienste seien mit dem, was von den Predigern des Evangeliums euch jetzt verkündet wird in Kraft des vom Himmel ausgesandten Heiligen Geistes, worin Engel einen Einblick haben möchten.
It was revealed to {[God] told} them that it was not for their own sake that he was revealing these things to them, but that it was for your sake. It was these things that were proclaimed to you by those who told you the message [about Christ {that those who told you the message about Christ proclaimed to you]}. They proclaimed these things to you because the Holy Spirit whom [God] sent from heaven [enabled them to do that]. And even angels would like to know more about these [truths about how God saves us].
13 Umgürtet also die Lenden eures Geistes und seid besonnen, setzet gänzlich eure Hoffnung auf die Gnade, die bei der Offenbarung Jesu Christi euch zuteil werden wird.
Therefore, [prepare your minds] [MET] [as people] fasten their belts around their waists [to prepare to work]. [What I mean is that] you should (discipline your minds/control what you think about), and by doing that conduct your lives fully and confidently expecting to receive the good things that [God will] kindly [do for you] when Jesus Christ returns [from heaven].
14 Folgsamen Kindern gleich, gestaltet euer Leben nicht nach den früheren Lüsten, wie in den Zeiten der Unwissenheit.
[And because you should obey your heavenly Father] [SIM], as children [ought to] obey their fathers [here on earth], do not do the evil things that you used to desire to do when you did not know [God’s truth].
15 Vielmehr wie der, der euch berufen hat, heilig ist, so sollt auch ihr in eurem ganzen Lebenswandel heilig werden.
Instead, just like God, the one who chose you [to belong to him], is (holy/separate from evil), you also must be (holy/separate from evil) in everything that you do,
16 Darum steht ja auch geschrieben: "Seid heilig, wie ich heilig bin."
because it is {[someone/Moses] has} written [in the Scriptures that God said], “You must be (holy/separate from evil) because I am (holy/separate from evil).”
17 Und wenn ihr den als Vater anrufet, der ohne Ansehen der Person jeden nach seinem Werke richtet, so führt einen Lebenswandel voll von Gottesfurcht, solange ihr hier als Fremdlinge verweilt.
God is the one who (impartially/without favoritism) judges what each person does. Since you call him ‘Father’, live (reverently/with great respect for him) during the time that you are living here on earth. [While you are living here, you are] like exiles/foreigners [MET] [because you are away from heaven, which is your true home].
18 Ihr wißt ja, daß ihr nicht um Vergängliches, um Silber oder Gold, losgekauft seid von eurem törichten, von den Vätern her ererbten Lebenswandel,
[Live reverently] because you know that it was not with things that will not last forever, things like gold and silver, that [God] bought you to free you from your useless life-style that you learned from your ancestors.
19 sondern um das kostbare Blut Christi als eines fehlerlosen und makellosen Lammes.
Instead, [it was] with the precious blood of Christ [that flowed from his body when he died that God bought you. Christ’s death was a perfect sacrifice for us] [MET], [like] the lambs that [the Jewish priests sacrificed were] perfect, without any blemishes/defects/flaws or spots [DOU].
20 Erwählt war er ja schon vor Grundlegung der Welt; erschienen aber ist er euretwegen erst am Ende der Zeiten.
Christ was chosen [by God] {[God] chose Christ} before the world was created {[he] created the world}. But it was not until now, when the time [in which we are living will soon] end, that he was revealed for your sake.
21 Durch diesen glaubt ihr an Gott, der ihn von den Toten erweckt und ihm auch Herrlichkeit verliehen hat. So ist nun euer Glaube auch Hoffnung auf Gott.
Because of what Christ has done, you are trusting in God, who caused Christ to become alive again after he died, and greatly honored him. As a result, God is the one in whom you are trusting and confidently expecting [that he will do great things for you].
22 Durch Folgsamkeit der Wahrheit gegenüber weihet eure Seelen zu beharrlicher Bruderliebe ein und habt von Herzen einander innig lieb.
Because you have been made pure by obeying the truth, with the result that you sincerely love your fellow believers, continue to love each other earnestly and sincerely/wholeheartedly.
23 Ihr seid ja nicht aus einem vergänglichen Samen wiedergeboren, sondern aus einem unvergänglichen, durch das Wort Gottes, das lebendig und beständig ist. (aiōn g165)
[I ask you to do this, because you now have] a new life [MET]. It was not [by means of] something that will perish that you received this new life. Instead, it was [by means of] something that will last forever; that is, by believing the life-giving and enduring message of God. (aiōn g165)
24 "Denn alles Fleisch ist wie Gras, und alle seine Herrlichkeit wie des Grases Blüte; das Gras verdorrt, und seine Blüte welkt;
[We know that this is true] because, [as the prophet Isaiah wrote], All people [will die] [SIM], like grass [dies]. And all the greatness/honor that people have [will not last forever], like the flowers [SIM] [that grow up] in the grass [do not last long]. The grass withers and the flowers die,
