1 Peter 3:8-4:19

New American Standard Bible

⁸^[a]To sum up, ^(A)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^[b]^(B)loving, ^(C)compassionate, and ^(D)humble; ⁹^(E)not returning evil for evil or ^(F)insult for insult, but giving a ^(G)blessing instead; for ^(H)you were called for the very purpose that you would ^(I)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

“^(J)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹^(K)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²^(L)For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

¹³^(M)And who is ^[c]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should ^(N)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(O)you ^[d]are blessed. ^(P)And do not fear their ^[e]intimidation, and do not be in dread, ¹⁵but ^[f]sanctify ^(Q)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(R)to make a ^[g]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(S)hope that is in you, but ^(T)with gentleness and ^(U)respect; ¹⁶^[h]and keep a ^(V)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(W)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(X)it is better, ^(Y)if ^[i]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸For ^(Z)Christ also ^[j]suffered for sins ^(AA)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(AB)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(AC)in the flesh, but made alive ^(AD)in the ^[k]spirit; ¹⁹in ^[l]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient when the ^(AE)patience of God ^(AF)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(AG)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(AH)eight ^(AI)persons, were brought safely through the water. ²¹^(AJ)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(AK)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ^[m]for a ^(AL)good conscience—through ^(AM)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²^(AN)who is at the right hand of God, ^(AO)having gone into heaven, ^(AP)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Keep Fervent in Your Love

4 Therefore, since ^(AQ)Christ has ^[n]suffered in the flesh, ^(AR)arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because ^(AS)the one who has ^[o]suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²^(AT)so as to live ^(AU)the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the ^(AV)will of God. ³For ^(AW)the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, ^[p]^(AX)having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. ⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of ^(AY)^[q]debauchery, and they ^(AZ)slander you; ⁵but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge ^(BA)the living and the dead. ⁶For ^(BB)the gospel has for this purpose been ^[r]preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

⁷^(BC)The end of all things ^[s]is near; therefore, ^(BD)be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of ^[t]prayer. ⁸Above all, ^(BE)keep fervent in your love for one another, because ^(BF)love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹^(BG)Be hospitable to one another without ^(BH)complaint. ¹⁰^(BI)As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^(BJ)stewards of the ^[u]multifaceted grace of God. ¹¹^(BK)Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking ^(BL)actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving ^[v]^(BM)by the strength which God supplies; so that ^(BN)in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^(BO)to whom belongs the glory and ^[w]dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Share the Sufferings of Christ

¹²^(BP)Beloved, do not be surprised at the ^(BQ)fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; ¹³but to the degree that you ^(BR)share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the ^(BS)revelation of His glory ^(BT)you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. ¹⁴If you are insulted ^[x]^(BU)for the name of Christ, ^(BV)you are blessed, ^(BW)because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. ¹⁵Make sure that ^(BX)none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ^[y]^(BY)troublesome meddler; ¹⁶but if anyone suffers as a ^(BZ)Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to ^(CA)glorify God in this name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment ^(CB)to begin ^[z]with ^(CC)the household of God; and if it ^(CD)begins ^[aa]with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^(CE)who do not obey the ^(CF)gospel of God? ¹⁸^(CG)And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, ^[ab]what will become of the ^(CH)godless man and the sinner? ¹⁹Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^(CI)the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.