^11 (A)Beloved, ^(B)I urge you as ^(C)foreigners 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)on 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 ^(N)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Act as ^(O)free people, and ^[e]do not use your freedom as a ^[f]covering for evil, but use it as ^(P)bond-servants of God. ^17 (Q)Honor all people, ^(R)love the brotherhood, ^(S)fear God, ^(T)honor the ^[g]king.

^18 (U)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(V)gentle, but also to those who are ^[h]harsh. ¹⁹ For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^(W)conscience toward God a person endures ^[i]grief 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 favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For ^(Y)you have been called for this purpose, ^(Z)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(AA)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who ^(AB)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [j]and while being ^(AC)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[k](AD)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[l](AE)cross, so that we ^(AF)might die to ^[m]sin and live for righteousness; ^(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 subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(AM)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your pure ^[p]and respectful behavior. ^3 (AN)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴ but it should 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 the holy women of former times, ^(AP)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(AQ)calling him lord; and you have proved to be 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.

Bildad Speaks of the Wicked

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

Teaching at Nazareth

6 ^(A)Jesus went out from there and *came into ^[a](B)His hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath came, He began ^(C)to teach in the synagogue; and ^[b]the ^(D)many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man learn these things, and what is this wisdom that has been given to Him, and such ^[c]miracles as these performed by His hands? ³ Is this not ^(E)the carpenter, ^(F)the son of Mary and brother of ^[d]James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are ^(G)His sisters not here with us?” And they took ^(H)offense at Him. ⁴ Jesus said to them, “^(I)A prophet is not dishonored except in ^[e](J)his hometown and among his own relatives, and in his own household.” ⁵ And He could not do any ^[f]miracle there except that He ^(K)laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He was amazed at their unbelief.

^(L)And He was going around the villages, teaching.

The Twelve Sent Out

^7 (M)And ^(N)He *summoned the twelve and began to send them out ^(O)in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; ^8 (P)and He instructed them that they were to take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no ^[g]bag, no money in their belt— ⁹ but ^[h]to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not wear two ^[i]tunics.” ¹⁰ And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you ^[j]leave town. ¹¹ Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, ^(Q)shake the dust ^[k]off the soles of your feet as a testimony against them.” ^12 (R)And they went out and ^[l]preached that people are to repent. ¹³ And they were casting out many demons and ^(S)were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

John’s Fate Recalled

^14 (T)And King Herod heard about it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “^(U)John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” ¹⁵ But others were saying, “He is ^(V)Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is ^(W)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of ^(X)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “^(Y)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ And ^(Z)Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; ²⁰ for ^(AA)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he ^[m]used to enjoy listening to him. ²¹ An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, ^(AB)held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people ^(AC)of Galilee; ²² and when the daughter of ^(AD)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and ^[n]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to ^(AE)half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And although the king was very sorry, because of his oaths and ^[o]his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard about this, they came and carried away his body, and laid it in a tomb.