1 Peter 2:11-3:7

New International Version

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹Dear friends,^(A) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(B) to abstain from sinful desires,^(C) which wage war against your soul.^(D) ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(E) and glorify God^(F) on the day he visits us.

¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^(G) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^(H) and to commend those who do right.^(I) ¹⁵For it is God’s will^(J) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.^(K) ¹⁶Live as free people,^(L) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(M) live as God’s slaves.^(N) ¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,^(O) fear God, honor the emperor.^(P)

¹⁸Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,^(Q) not only to those who are good and considerate,^(R) but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.^(S) ²⁰But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.^(T) ²¹To this^(U) you were called,^(V) because Christ suffered for you,^(W) leaving you an example,^(X) that you should follow in his steps.

²²“He committed no sin,^(Y)
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^[a]^(Z)

²³When they hurled their insults at him,^(AA) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.^(AB) Instead, he entrusted himself^(AC) to him who judges justly.^(AD) ²⁴“He himself bore our sins”^(AE) in his body on the cross,^(AF) so that we might die to sins^(AG) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^(AH) ²⁵For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[b]^(AI) but now you have returned to the Shepherd^(AJ) and Overseer of your souls.^(AK)

3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves^(AL) to your own husbands^(AM) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over^(AN) without words by the behavior of their wives, ²when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.^(AO) ⁴Rather, it should be that of your inner self,^(AP) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.^(AQ) ⁵For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God^(AR) used to adorn themselves.^(AS) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.^(AT) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷Husbands,^(AU) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Footnotes

1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)

Psalm 139

New International Version

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹You have searched me,^(A) Lord,
    and you know^(B) me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;^(C)
    you perceive my thoughts^(D) from afar.
³You discern my going out^(E) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.^(F)
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.^(G)
⁵You hem me in^(H) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,^(I)
    too lofty^(J) for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(K) from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens,^(L) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(M) in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,^(N)
    your right hand^(O) will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark^(P) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;^(Q)
    you knit me together^(R) in my mother’s womb.^(S)
¹⁴I praise you^(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(U)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(V) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(W) in the depths of the earth.^(X)
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(Y) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a]^(Z) God!^(AA)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them,^(AB)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(AC)—
    when I awake,^(AD) I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(AE)
    Away from me,^(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!^(AG)
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(AH) misuse your name.^(AI)
²¹Do I not hate those^(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(AL)
²³Search me,^(AM) God, and know my heart;^(AN)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See if there is any offensive way^(AO) in me,
    and lead me^(AP) in the way everlasting.