Following Christ

Therefore, since Christ suffered[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding[b]—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished(A) with sin[c] in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.(B) For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires,(C) drunkenness, orgies,(D) carousing, and lawless idolatry. They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander[d] you. They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.(E) For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead,[e](F) so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards,(G) they might live(H) in the spirit according to God’s standards.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Other mss read suffered for us
  2. 4:1 Or perspective, or attitude
  3. 4:1 Or the one who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin
  4. 4:4 Or blaspheme
  5. 4:6 Or those who are dead

Therefore, since Christ suffered as a human, you should also arm yourselves with his way of thinking. This is because whoever suffers is finished with sin. As a result, they don’t live the rest of their human lives in ways determined by human desires but in ways determined by God’s will. You have wasted enough time doing what unbelievers desire—living in their unrestrained immorality and lust, their drunkenness and excessive feasting and wild parties, and their forbidden worship of idols. They think it’s strange that you don’t join in these activities with the same flood of unrestrained wickedness. So they slander you. They will have to reckon with the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Indeed, this is the reason the good news was also preached to the dead. This happened so that, although they were judged as humans according to human standards, they could live by the Spirit according to divine standards.

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