3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: 8 whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point into, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. 12 To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

As in most Jewish letters the address is followed by a blessing. In the former, Peter has shown that our salvation is secured by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; he now returns thanks for this salvation as certain to be perfected in the future, as giving courage in the present, as having been predicted in the past. In pointing his readers to the future, Peter strikes the keynote of his epistle. It is expressed in the word "hope": "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope." This hope, which is mentioned as the first result of our new birth, is defined as "living," not only in contrast with the deceitful and perishing hopes of earth, not only because its object is "eternal life," but because it is based upon "the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." This truth of the resurrection holds a prominent place in the writings of Peter. He remembers the transforming power of the event in his own experience. He mentions it here as the very source of the new life of hope imparted to the believer by the grace of God. The object of this hope, the final blessedness of this life, is defined as being an "inheritance," an estate one is to receive from the Father in virtue of the "new birth." This inheritance is "incorritible," it has no seeds of decay, it cannot perish; it is "undefiled," free from all stain of sin; it "fadeth not away," but is like the unwithering flowers of Paradise; it is "reserved in heaven," kept absolutely secure for those who are being kept for it; the latter are being "guarded," kept as in a garrison, "by the power of God," in view of their faith in him. From the assaults of trial and distress and temptation the besieged soul will soon be delivered. This salvation, this object of hope, this other aspect of the "inheritance," is "ready to be revealed." This revelation will be "in the last time," at the very end of the present age, at "the revelation of Jesus Christ," an event which, to the mind of the writer, might possibly be near.

For the present the readers were subjected to manifold trials; as the letter shows, they were suffering from hatred, suspicion, violence, slander, and cruel persecution; nevertheless, in view of their coming "salvation," they were able to rejoice. Their distresses were but "for a little while"; they were part of the mysterious plan and providence of God; from them blessings would issue. These trials were tests of their faith; by them it was being refined and assayed, like gold; gold perishes at last, even though it can withstand the test of fire; their faith tested and purified would bring to them "praise and glory and honor" when Christ, their Saviour, appeared. They were looking and longing for his return; though they had never seen him, they loved him; though his appearing was delayed, yet believing in him and expecting his coming, they were able to rejoice with a joy no tongue could express, a joy which was radiant with the glory of his return. So real was their faith that they already anticipated and were receiving the fulfillment of their hope, the joy of their inheritance, the "salvation" of their souls.

This salvation, wrought out by Christ, secured by his death and resurrection, was so marvelous in its character that believers might well rejoice in its possession. It had been the object of deepest concern and wonder to inspired writers. The latter had "sought and searched diligently" to find the exact time and the character of the time to which the Spirit of Christ, who guided them, was pointing "when it testified beforehand the sufferings" which were appointed for Christ "and the glories that should follow them." It was revealed to them that their predictions related to a future age, even that in which the readers of this epistle were living, one in which had taken place the events which were proclaimed in the gospel. This good news of salvation assured them that as they were now partakers of the sufferings of Christ, so too, they should be of his "glories," which, predicted by prophets or proclaimed by apostles, were so great, so marvelous that the angels gazed upon them in eagerness and holy wonder.