Includes bibliographical references (p. 259-293) and indexes.

Introduction -- The "fiery ordeal" (1 Peter 4:12) : the situation of suffering -- The "foreigners" (1 Peter 1:1; 2:11) : the theological interpretation of the situation -- "In order to encourage and to testify" (1 Peter 5:12) : the arrangement of the letter -- "Rebirth" and "people of God" : the crossing of the vertical and horizontal dimensions of soteriology -- "For it is written" (1 Peter 1:16) : 1 Peter and tradition -- "Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:1) : questions of introduction -- The influence of First Peter -- Exegesis -- Prescript : the addressees as foreigners and people of God 1:1-2 -- The reason for the foreignness : rebirth and the people of God 1:3-2:10 -- Rebirth 1:3-2:3 -- Introductory eulogy : rebirth and joy in suffering 1:3-12 -- Rebirth and the new way of life 1:13-2:3 -- The regenerate as God's people 2:4-10 -- The building up into a spiritual house 2:4-8 -- The foreigners as God's people 2:9-10 -- Summary 1:3-2:10 -- Freedom and obedience : foreigners in the society 2:11-5:11 -- Exhortation and comfort 2:11-4:11 -- Living as foreigners 2:11-12 -- New way of life within the society 2:13-4:6 -- Exhortation to love one another 4:7-11 -- Comfort and exhortation 4:12-5:11 -- Suffering as fellowship with Christ 4:12-19 -- Leadership and service within the community 5:1-5 -- Final exhortation and comfort 5:6-11 -- Letter closing 5:12-14 -- Excursus 1: hope -- Excursus 2: "imperishable, undefiled, unfading" : the reception and transfomation of metaphysical attributes of God in 1 Peter -- Excursus 3: temptation/[peripasmos] -- Excursus 4: the soul and salvation of the soul in 1 Peter -- Excursus 5: the desires -- Excursus 6: God as judge -- Excursus 7: rebirth -- Excursus 8: the context of the exhortation to subordination -- Excursus 9: subject and responsible citizen -- Excursus 10: "humility"/[tapeinofrosunh] -- Excursus 11: devil/Satan.