1 Peter 2:11-3:7

New American Standard Bible 1995

^11 (A)Beloved, ^(B)I urge you as ^(C)aliens and strangers to abstain from ^(D)fleshly lusts which wage ^(E)war against the soul. ^12 (F)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(G)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[a]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(H)glorify God ^(I)in the day of ^[b]visitation.

Honor Authority

^13 (J)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent ^[c]by him ^(K)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(L)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵ For ^[d](M)such is the will of God that by doing right you may ^(N)silence the ignorance of foolish men. ¹⁶ Act as ^(O)free men, and ^[e]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^(P)bondslaves of God. ^17 (Q)Honor all people, ^(R)love the brotherhood, ^(S)fear God, ^(T)honor the ^[f]king.

^18 (U)Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(V)gentle, but also to those who are ^[g]unreasonable. ¹⁹ For this finds ^[h]favor, if for the sake of ^(W)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(X)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds ^[i]favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For ^(Y)you have been called for this purpose, ^(Z)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(AA)an example for you to follow in His steps, ²² who ^(AB)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [j]and while being ^(AC)reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[k](AD)bore our sins in His body on the ^[l](AE)cross, so that we ^(AF)might die to ^[m]sin and live to righteousness; for ^(AG)by His ^[n]wounds you were ^(AH)healed. ²⁵ For you were ^(AI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(AJ)Shepherd and ^[o]Guardian of your souls.

Godly Living

3 ^(AK)In the same way, you wives, ^(AL)be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(AM)won without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your chaste and ^[p]respectful behavior. ^3 (AN)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; ⁴ but let it be ^(AO)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this way in former times the holy women also, ^(AP)who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(AQ)calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right ^[q](AR)without being frightened by any fear.

^7 (AS)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[r](AT)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.