1 Peter 2:11–25

^11aBeloved, ^bI urge you as ^csojourners and exiles to abstain from ^dfleshly lusts which wage ^ewar against the soul,

^12aby keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they ^bslander you as evildoers, they may ¹because of your good works, as they observe them, ^cglorify God ^din the day of ²visitation.

Be Subject to Authority

^13aBe subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

¹⁴or to governors as sent ¹by him ^afor the punishment of evildoers and the ^bpraise of those who do good.

¹⁵For ^1asuch is the will of God that by doing good you may ^bsilence the ignorance of foolish men.

¹⁶Act as ^afree people, and ¹do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^bslaves of God.

^17aHonor all people, ^blove the ¹brethren, ^cfear God, ^dhonor the ²king.

^18aServants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and ^bconsiderate, but also to those who are ¹crooked.

¹⁹For this finds ¹favor, if for the sake of ^aconscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously.

²⁰For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if ^awhen you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God.

Christ, Our Example

²¹For to this ^ayou have been called, ^bsince Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^can example that you should follow in His steps,

²²who ^adid no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;

²³who being ^areviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

²⁴Who Himself ^1abore our sins in His body on the ^btree, so that ^chaving died to ²sin, we might live to righteousness; ^dby His ³wounds you were ^ehealed.

²⁵For you were ^acontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^bShepherd and Overseer of your souls.