1 Peter 2:11–25

¹¹Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⸤in the world⸥, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. ¹²Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you. 

Respect the Authority of Others

¹³Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority. ¹⁴Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ¹⁵God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. ¹⁶Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God. ¹⁷Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

¹⁸Slaves, place yourselves under the authority of your owners and show them complete respect. Obey not only those owners who are good and kind, but also those who are unfair. ¹⁹God is pleased if a person is aware of him while enduring the pains of unjust suffering. ²⁰What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you. 

²¹God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. ²²Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. ²³Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. ²⁴Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you. ²⁵You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishopof your lives.