1 Peter 2:11-3:22

Holman Christian Standard Bible

A Call to Good Works

¹¹Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents^(A) to abstain^(B) from fleshly^(C) desires that war against you.^[a]^(D) ¹²Conduct^(E) yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,^[b] so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.^[c]^(F)

¹³Submit^(G) to every human authority^[d] because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor^[e] as the supreme authority^(H) ¹⁴or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. ¹⁵For it is God’s will^(I) that you silence the ignorance^(J) of foolish people by doing good. ¹⁶As God’s slaves,^(K) live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil.^(L) ¹⁷Honor everyone. Love^(M) the brotherhood.^(N) Fear God.^(O) Honor the Emperor.^[f]

Submission of Slaves to Masters

¹⁸Household slaves, submit with all fear^(P) to your masters,^(Q) not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.^[g]^(R) ¹⁹For it brings favor^[h] if, mindful of God’s will,^[i]^[j] someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is there if you sin and are punished, and you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer,^(S) if you endure it, this brings favor with God.

²¹For you were called to this,
because Christ also suffered^(T) for you,
leaving you an example,^(U)
so that you should follow^(V) in His steps.
²²He did not commit sin,^(W)
and no deceit^(X) was found in His mouth;^(Y)^[k]
²³when He was reviled,
He did not revile in return;
when He was suffering,
He did not threaten
but entrusted Himself to the One who judges^(Z) justly.
²⁴He Himself bore our sins^(AA)
in His body^(AB) on the tree,^(AC)
so that, having died to sins,^(AD)
we might live for righteousness;^(AE)
you have been healed by His wounds.^(AF)^[l]
²⁵For you were like sheep going astray,^(AG)^[m]
but you have now returned
to the Shepherd^(AH) and Guardian^[n] of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

3 In the same way, wives,^(AI) submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the Christian message,^(AJ) they may be won over^[o]^(AK) without a message by the way their wives live^(AL) ²when they observe your pure, reverent lives.^(AM) ³Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments^[p] or fine clothes.^(AN) ⁴Instead, it should consist of what is inside^[q] the heart^(AO) with the imperishable quality of a gentle^(AP) and quiet^(AQ) spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes. ⁵For in the past, the holy^(AR) women who put their hope^(AS) in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, ⁶just as Sarah^(AT) obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming.^(AU)

⁷Husbands,^(AV) in the same way, live with your wives with an understanding of their weaker nature^[r]^(AW) yet showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

⁸Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers,^[s]^(AX) and be compassionate^(AY) and humble,^[t] ⁹not paying back evil for evil^(AZ) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,^(BA) since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For the^(BB) one who wants to love life
and to see good days
must keep his tongue from evil^(BC)
and his lips from speaking deceit,^(BD)
¹¹and he must turn away^(BE) from evil
and do what is good.
He must seek peace^(BF) and pursue it,
¹²because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and His ears are open to their request.
But the face of the Lord is against
those who do what is evil.^[u]

Undeserved Suffering

¹³And who will harm^[v] you if you are deeply committed to what is good?^[w] ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for righteousness,^(BG) you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear^(BH) or be disturbed,^(BI)^[x] ¹⁵but honor^[y] the Messiah^[z] as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason^[aa] for the hope that is in you.^(BJ) ¹⁶However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear,^[ab]^[ac]^(BK) so that when you are accused,^[ad] those who denounce your Christian life^[ae] will be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer^(BL) for doing good, if that should be God’s will,^[af] than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also suffered^(BM) for sins once for all,^[ag]^(BN)
the righteous for the unrighteous,^[ah]
that He might bring you^[ai] to God,^(BO)
after being put to death in the fleshly realm^[aj]^(BP)
but made alive in the spiritual realm.^[ak]

¹⁹In that state^[al] He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits^(BQ) in prison^[am] ²⁰who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah^(BR) while an ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people^[an]^(BS)—were saved through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,^(BT) but the pledge^[ao] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.^(BU) ²²Now that He has gone into heaven,^(BV) He is at God’s right hand^(BW) with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.^(BX)

Footnotes

1 Peter 2:11 Or against the soul
1 Peter 2:12 Or among the nations, or among the pagans
1 Peter 2:12 The day when God intervenes in human history, either in grace or in judgment
1 Peter 2:13 Or creature
1 Peter 2:13 Lit king
1 Peter 2:17 Lit king
1 Peter 2:18 Or unscrupulous; lit crooked
1 Peter 2:19 Other mss add with God
1 Peter 2:19 Other mss read if, because of a good conscience
1 Peter 2:19 Lit if, because of conscience toward God
1 Peter 2:22 Is 53:9
1 Peter 2:24 Is 53:5
1 Peter 2:25 Is 53:6
1 Peter 2:25 Or Overseer
1 Peter 3:1 Lit may be gained
1 Peter 3:3 Lit and of putting around of gold items
1 Peter 3:4 Lit Instead, the hidden man of
1 Peter 3:7 Lit understanding as the weaker vessel
1 Peter 3:8 Lit sympathetic, loving the brothers
1 Peter 3:8 Other mss read courteous
1 Peter 3:12 Ps 34:12-16
1 Peter 3:13 Or mistreat, or do evil to
1 Peter 3:13 Or you are partisans for the good; lit you are zealots
1 Peter 3:14 Is 8:12
1 Peter 3:15 Or sanctify; lit set apart
1 Peter 3:15 Other mss read set God
1 Peter 3:15 Or who demands of you an accounting
1 Peter 3:16 Lit good
1 Peter 3:16 Or keeping a clear conscience
1 Peter 3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers
1 Peter 3:16 Lit your good behavior in Christ
1 Peter 3:17 Lit if the will of God should will
1 Peter 3:18 Other mss read died for sins on our behalf; other mss read died for our sins; other mss read died for sins on your behalf
1 Peter 3:18 Or the Righteous One in the place of the unrighteous many
1 Peter 3:18 Other mss read us
1 Peter 3:18 Or in the flesh
1 Peter 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit
1 Peter 3:19 Or In whom, or At that time, or In which
1 Peter 3:19 Perhaps fallen supernatural beings or angels; 2Pt 2:4; Jd 6
1 Peter 3:20 Lit souls
1 Peter 3:21 Or the appeal