Through Christ you have come to trust in God.
And you have placed your faith and hope in God
because he raised Christ from the dead
and gave him great glory.
…you have been born again,
but not to a life that will quickly end.
Your new life will last forever
because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
God paid a ransom to save you…
It was the precious blood of Christ,
the sinless,
spotless Lamb of God.
God chose him as your ransom
long before the world began…
…salvation was something even the prophets
wanted to know more about when they prophesied…
They wondered what time or situation
the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about…
They were told that their messages
were not for themselves,
but for you…
It is all so wonderful that even the angels
are eagerly watching these things happen.
…be truly glad.
there is wonderful joy ahead,
even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
…your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
So when your faith remains strong through many trials,
it will bring you much praise and glory and honor
on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
All praise to God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,
because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation,
and we have a priceless inheritance—
an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you,
pure and undefiled,
beyond the reach of change and decay.
…The earnest prayer of a righteous person
has great power and produces wonderful results.
…those who are peacemakers
will plant seeds of peace
and reap a harvest of righteousness.
God blesses those who patiently endure
testing and temptation.
Afterward they will receive the crown of life
that God has promised to those who love him.
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us
from God our Father,
who created all the lights in the heavens.
He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
…this world is not our permanent home;
we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
(Wilson’s Arch, Moab, UT)