Called to Blessing

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be 2courteous; 9 knot returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary lblessing, knowing that you were called to this, mthat you may inherit a blessing. 10 For

n“He who would love life

And see good days,

oLet him 3refrain his tongue from evil,

And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him pturn away from evil and do good;

qLet him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

rAnd His ears are open to their prayers;

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

13 sAnd who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 tBut even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. u“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But 4sanctify 5the Lord God in your hearts, and always vbe ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the whope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 xhaving a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring 6us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,