¹⁵Suppose you suffer. Then it shouldn’t be because you are a murderer or a thief. It shouldn’t be because you do evil things. It shouldn’t be because you poke your nose into other people’s business. ¹⁶But suppose you suffer for being a Christian. Then don’t be ashamed. Instead, praise God because you are known by that name.

¹⁷It is time for people to be judged. It will begin with the family of God. And since it begins with us, what will happen to people who don’t obey God’s good news? ¹⁸Scripture says,

“Suppose it is hard for godly people to be saved.

Then what will happen to ungodly people and sinners?”

¹⁹Some people will suffer because God has planned it that way. They should commit themselves to their faithful Creator. And they should continue to do good.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?

And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

NLTNew Living Translation

If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also,

“If the righteous are barely saved,

what will happen to godless sinners?”

So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. But if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name. For it is the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if it begins out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

KJV 1900King James Version

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

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