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.

^14 (A)“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ^15 (B)Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so ^(C)that^[a] they may see your good works and ^(D)give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

⁷ Show yourself in all respects to be ^(A)a model of good works, and in your teaching ^(B)show integrity, ^(C)dignity, ⁸ and ^(D)sound speech that cannot be condemned, ^(E)so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. ^9 (F)Bondservants^[a] are to be submissive to their own masters ^(G)in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, ^(H)but showing all good faith, ^(I)so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

¹⁰ for that indeed is what ^(A)you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to ^(B)do this more and more, ¹¹ and to aspire ^(C)to live quietly, and ^(D)to mind your own affairs, and ^(E)to work with your hands, as we instructed you, ¹² so that you may ^(F)walk properly before ^(G)outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Submission to Authority

^13 (A)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 ^(B)to punish those who do evil and ^(C)to praise those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, ^(D)that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. ^16 (E)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but ^(F)living as servants^[c] of God.