Readings for Lent and Easter

Be Subject to Authority

^13 (A)Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent ^[a]by him ^(B)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(C)praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For ^[b](D)such is the will of God that by doing good you may ^(E)silence the ignorance of foolish men. ¹⁶ Act as ^(F)free people, and ^[c]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^(G)slaves of God. ^17 (H)Honor all people, ^(I)love the ^[d]brethren, ^(J)fear God, ^(K)honor the ^[e]king.

^18 (L)Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and ^(M)considerate, but also to those who are ^[f]crooked. ¹⁹ For this finds ^[g]favor, if for the sake of ^(N)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if ^(O)when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God.

Christ, Our Example

²¹ For to this ^(P)you have been called, ^(Q)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(R)an example that you should follow in His steps, ²² who ^(S)did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ²³ who being ^(T)reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. ²⁴ Who Himself ^[h](U)bore our sins in His body on the ^(V)tree, so that ^(W)having died to ^[i]sin, we might live to righteousness; ^(X)by His ^[j]wounds you were ^(Y)healed. ²⁵ For you were ^(Z)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(AA)Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.