Practical Appeals in view of the Dangers of the Times.

11 Dear friends, I beg you, as pilgrims and strangers on earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war on the soul. 12 Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evildoers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God “at the time when he will visit them.”

13 Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority, 14 and to governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to commend those who do right. 15 For God’s will is this – that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. 16 Act as free people, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God. 17 Show honour to everyone, love the Lord’s followers, “revere God, honour the emperor.”

18 Those of you who are domestic servants should always be submissive and respectful to their masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are arbitrary. 19 For this wins God’s approval when, because conscious of God’s presence, a person who is suffering unjustly bears their troubles patiently. 20 What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God. 21 For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered – on your behalf – and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He “never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.” 23 He was abused, but he did not answer with abuse; he suffered, but he did not threaten; he entrusted himself to him whose judgments are just. 24 And he “himself carried our sins” in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. “His bruising was your healing.” 25 Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

3 Again, you married women should submit to your husbands, so that if any of them reject the message, they may, apart from the message, be won over, by the conduct of their wives, 2 as they see your pure, reverent conduct. 3 Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewellery, or the putting on of dresses, 4 but the inner life with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit; for this is very precious in God’s sight. 5 It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands, 6 as Sarah did, who obeyed Abraham, and called him master. And you are her true children, as long as you live good lives, and let nothing terrify you.

7 Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as physically weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.

8 Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded; 9 never returning evil for evil, or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, blessing. It was to this that you were called – to obtain a blessing!

10 “The person who wants to enjoy life

and see happy days –

they should keep their tongue from evil

and their lips from deceitful words,

11 they should turn from evil and do good,

They should seek for peace and follow after it;

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are attentive to their prayers,

but the face of the Lord is set against those who do wrong.”Titleless Section Break

13 Who, indeed, is there to harm you, if you prove yourselves to be eager for what is good? 14 Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! “Do not let people terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.” 15 Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it with courtesy and respect, 16 and keeping your consciences clear, so that, whenever you are maligned, those who vilify your good and Christian conduct may be put to shame. 17 It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God’s will, for doing right, than for doing wrong. 18 For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all – the good on behalf of the bad – that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering on new life. 19 And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits, 20 who once were disobedient, at the time when God patiently waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared; in which some few lives, eight in all, were saved by means of water. 21 And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you – not the mere cleansing of the body, but the search of a clear conscience after God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven, and is at God’s right hand, where angels and archangels and the powers of heaven now yield submission to him.

4 Since, then, Christ suffered in body, arm yourselves with the same resolve as he; for he who has suffered in body has ceased to sin, 2 and so will live the rest of his earthly life guided, not by human passions, but by the will of God. 3 Surely in the past you have spent time enough living as the Gentiles delight to live. For your path has lain among scenes of debauchery, licentiousness, drunkenness, revelry, hard-drinking, and profane idolatry. 4 And, because you do not run to the same extremes of profligacy as others, they are astonished, and malign you. 5 But they will have to answer for their conduct to him who is ready to judge both the living and the dead. 6 For that was why the good news was told to the dead also – that, after they have been judged in the body, as people are judged, they might live in the spirit, as God lives.Titleless Section Break

7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore exercise self-restraint and be calm, so that you may be able to pray. 8 Above all things, let your love for one another be earnest, for “Love throws a veil over countless sins.” 9 Never grudge hospitality to one another. 10 Whatever the gift that each has received, use it in the service of others, as good stewards of the varied bounty of God. 11 When anyone speaks, they should speak as one who is delivering the oracles of God. When anyone is endeavouring to serve others, they should do so in reliance on the strength which God supplies; so that in everything God may be honoured through Jesus Christ – to whom be ascribed all honour and might for ever and ever. Amen.Titleless Section Break

12 Dear friends, do not be astonished at the trial of fire that you are passing through, to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 No, the more you share the sufferings of the Christ, the more may you rejoice, that, when the time comes for the manifestation of his glory, you may rejoice and exult. 14 If you are insulted for bearing the name of Christ, count yourselves blessed; because the divine glory and the Spirit of God are resting on you. 15 I need hardly say that no one among you must suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or for interfering in matters which do not concern Christians. 16 But, if someone suffers as a Christian, they should not be ashamed of it; they should bring honour to God even though they bear that name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God; and, if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who reject God’s good news? 18 If “a good person is saved only with difficulty, what will become of the godless and the sinful?” 19 Therefore, I say, let those who suffer, because God wills it so, commit their lives into the hands of a faithful Creator, and persevere in doing right.