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Live as Servants of God

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.[a](A) 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.[b](B)

13 For the Lord’s sake be subject to every human authority,[c] whether to the emperor as supreme(C) 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16 As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.(D) 17 Honor everyone. Love the family of believers.[d] Fear God. Honor the emperor.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.11 Or one’s life
  2. 2.12 Gk God on the day of visitation
  3. 2.13 Or every authority ordained for humans
  4. 2.17 Gk Love the brotherhood