Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Everyone Be Loving, Humbleminded, And Doing Good

⁸ And finally, everyone— being likeminded^[a], sympathetic, brother-loving, tender-hearted^[b], humbleminded, ⁹ not giving-back evil for evil or reviling^[c] for reviling, but on the contrary, blessing them. Because you were called to this, in order that you might inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For “the one desiring^[d] to love life and see good days— let him stop his tongue from evil and his lips that they not speak deceit; ¹¹ and let him turn-away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. ¹² Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against ones doing evil things” [Ps 34:12-16].

You Are Blessed If You Suffer For Righteousness

¹³ And who is the one who will do you evil^[e] if you become zealots^[f] for good? ¹⁴ But even though you might be suffering^[g] for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed^[h] ones!

Make Christ Lord In Your Heart As You Suffer For Doing Good

But do not fear their fear^[i], nor be disturbed, ¹⁵ but set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts, being ready always for a defense to everyone asking you a reason for the hope in you, ¹⁶ but with gentleness and fear^[j], having a good conscience in order that in what you are spoken-against^[k], the ones maligning your good conduct in Christ may be put-to-shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to be suffering while doing-good, if the will of God should [so] will it, than while doing-evil.

Because Christ Himself Suffered To Bring Us To God, And Is Now Glorified By God

¹⁸ Because Christ also suffered once-for-all for sins— a righteous One for unrighteous ones— in order that He might bring you to God, having been put-to-death in the flesh but made-alive^[l] by the Spirit^[m],