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The Coming Ruler of God’s People

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(A)
10 He[a] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.(B)

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.(C)
12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
    today I declare that I will restore to you double.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.10 Gk: Heb I

Live as Servants of God

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.[a](A) 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.[b](B)

13 For the Lord’s sake be subject to every human authority,[c] whether to the emperor as supreme(C) 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16 As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.(D) 17 Honor everyone. Love the family of believers.[d] Fear God. Honor the emperor.(E)

The Example of Christ’s Suffering

18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect,[e] not only those who are good and gentle but also those who are dishonest. 19 For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this is a commendable thing before God.(F) 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.(G)

22 “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.(H) 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,[f] so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds[g] you have been healed.(I) 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.[h](J)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.11 Or one’s life
  2. 2.12 Gk God on the day of visitation
  3. 2.13 Or every authority ordained for humans
  4. 2.17 Gk Love the brotherhood
  5. 2.18 Or fear
  6. 2.24 Or carried up our sins in his body to the tree
  7. 2.24 Gk bruise
  8. 2.25 Or lives