Suffering for Doing Good

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,n be sympathetic, love one another,o be compassionate and humble.p 9 Do not repay evil with evilq or insult with insult.r On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,s because to thist you were calledu so that you may inherit a blessing.v 10 For,

“Whoever would love life

and see good days

must keep their tongue from evil

and their lips from deceitful speech.

11 They must turn from evil and do good;

they must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are attentive to their prayer,

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”a w

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?x 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.y “Do not fear their threatsb; do not be frightened.”c z 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answera to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hopeb that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,c so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.d 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,e to suffer for doing goodf than for doing evil.