1 Peter 2:9–19

9 But you are a chosen race,M,N,m a royal priesthood,O,n a holy nation,P,o a people for his possession,Q,p so that you may proclaim the praisesR,S,q of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.r 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,s but now you have received mercy.

A CALL TO GOOD WORKS

11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exilest to abstainu from sinfulv desires that wage war against the soul.w 12 Conductx yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,A so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.y

13 Submitz to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperorB as the supreme authorityaa 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s willab that you silence the ignoranceac of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,ad but as God’s slaves.ae 17 Honor everyone. Loveaf the brothers and sisters.ag Fear God.ah Honor the emperor.

SUBMISSION OF SLAVES TO MASTERS

18 Household slaves, submit to your mastersai with all reverenceaj not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.ak 19 For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly.