Hey everyone, this is Mary Demuth and this is Pray Every Day. We're the joy and privilege of praying you through the Bible verse by verse. Now, we have just spent a lot of time with our friend Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet. And now we're going to jump to someone completely different than that. And today I'm going to be reading from First Peter. Super excited to be back in the New Testament. Peter has so much to say, and these are really,

really rich books. I do remember studying them deeply several years ago and just gaining so much

from my study of First and Second Peter. So I do pray that this particular book and this writer

would be encouraging to you.

Okay, so today I'm reading from 1 Peter chapter 1,

verses 1 through 12 in the World English Bible, and this is what it says.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners

in the dispersion in Pontius,

Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bethinia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His

blood. Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy

caused us to be born again, to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials, that the proof of

your faith which is more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tested by fire,

may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

whom not having known you love. In him, though now you don't see him, yet

believing you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the

result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning the salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently.

They prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching for who or what kind

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