1 Peter 3:13-4:11

21st Century King James Version

¹³ And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?

¹⁴ But if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye. “And be not afraid of their terror; neither be troubled.”

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

¹⁶ Have a good conscience, that, whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they who falsely accuse may be ashamed by your good manner of life in Christ.

¹⁷ For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for welldoing than for evildoing.

¹⁸ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,

¹⁹ by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

²⁰ who one time were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, (that is, eight souls) were saved by water.

²¹ The like figure to this, even baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²² who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.

4 For inasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin,

² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries;

⁴ wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same dissolute excess, speaking evil of you,

⁵ who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

⁶ For, for this cause was the Gospel preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

⁷ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer.

⁸ And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

⁹ Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

¹⁰ As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

¹¹ If any man speak, let him speak according to the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do it according to the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.