18 Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed.
19 Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections.
20 He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time.
21 Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.
22 Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other.
23 You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. That’s why ⌊Scripture says⌋,
24 “All people are like grass,and all their beauty is like a flower of the field.The grass dries up and the flower drops off,