Living for God

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body,(A) arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.(B) As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(C) but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past(D) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(E) They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.(F) But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.(G) For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead,(H) so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

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Good Managers of God’s Grace

Therefore, since the Messiah[a] suffered in a mortal body,[b] you, too, must arm yourselves with the same determination, because the person who has suffered in a mortal body has stopped sinning, so that he can live the rest of his mortal life[c] guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God. For you spent enough time in the past doing what the gentiles like to do, living in sensuality, sinful desires, drunkenness, wild celebrations, drinking parties, and detestable idolatry. They insult you now because they are surprised that you are no longer joining them in the same excesses of wild living. They will give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Indeed, this is why the gospel was proclaimed even to those who have died, so that they could be judged in their mortal flesh like all humans and live in the spiritual realm like God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 4:1 Or Christ
  2. 1 Peter 4:1 Other mss. read suffered for us; still other mss. read suffered for you
  3. 1 Peter 4:2 Lit. time