¹¹ Beloved, I urge you ^(A)as sojourners and exiles ^(B)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, ^(C)which wage war against your soul. ^12 (D)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(E)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on ^(F)the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

^13 (G)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,^[a] whether it be to the emperor^[b] as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him ^(H)to punish those who do evil and ^(I)to praise those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, ^(J)that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ^16 (K)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but ^(L)living as servants^[c] of God. ^17 (M)Honor everyone. ^(N)Love the brotherhood. ^(O)Fear God. Honor the emperor.

^18 (P)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, ^(Q)mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But ^(R)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹ For ^(S)to this you have been called, ^(T)because Christ also suffered for you, ^(U)leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ^22 (V)He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ^23 (W)When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, ^(X)but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ^24 (Y)He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we ^(Z)might die to sin and ^(AA)live to righteousness. ^(AB)By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For ^(AC)you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to ^(AD)the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, ^(AE)be subject to your own husbands, so that ^(AF)even if some do not obey the word, ^(AG)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ² when they see your ^(AH)respectful and pure conduct. ^3 (AI)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴ but let your adorning be ^(AJ)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵ For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(AK)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and ^(AL)do not fear anything that is frightening.

⁷ Likewise, ^(AM)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker ^(AN)vessel, since they are heirs with you^[d] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸ Finally, all of you, ^(AO)have unity of mind, sympathy, ^(AP)brotherly love, ^(AQ)a tender heart, and ^(AR)a humble mind. ^9 (AS)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, ^(AT)bless, for ^(AU)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰ For

¹³ Now ^(AW)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ^14 (AX)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(AY)Have no fear of them, ^(AZ)nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but ^(BA)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(BB)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(BC)respect, ^16 (BD)having a good conscience, so that, ^(BE)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For ^(BF)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also ^(BG)suffered^{[e] (BH)}once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(BI)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(BJ)in the flesh but made alive ^(BK)in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which^[f] he went and ^(BL)proclaimed^[g] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because^[h] they formerly did not obey, ^(BM)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, ^(BN)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, ^(BO)eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(BP)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(BQ)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(BR)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and ^(BS)is at the right hand of God, ^(BT)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Stewards of God's Grace

4 Since therefore ^(BU)Christ suffered in the flesh,^{[i] (BV)}arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for ^(BW)whoever has suffered in the flesh ^(BX)has ceased from sin, ^2 (BY)so as to live for ^(BZ)the rest of the time in the flesh ^(CA)no longer for human passions but ^(CB)for the will of God. ³ For the time that is past ^(CC)suffices ^(CD)for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of ^(CE)debauchery, and ^(CF)they malign you; ⁵ but they will give account to him who is ready ^(CG)to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is why ^(CH)the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

^7 (CI)The end of all things is at hand; therefore ^(CJ)be self-controlled and sober-minded ^(CK)for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since ^(CL)love covers a multitude of sins. ^9 (CM)Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ^10 (CN)As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, ^(CO)as good stewards of God's varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks ^(CP)oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves ^(CQ)by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything ^(CR)God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. ^(CS)To him belong glory and ^(CT)dominion forever and ever. Amen.