1 Peter 2:11–25

Live as Servants of God

¹¹Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.^{n* 12}Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.^o*

¹³For the Lord’s sake be subject to every human authority,^p whether to the emperor as supreme^{* 14}or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. ¹⁵For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. ¹⁶As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.^{* 17}Honor everyone. Love the family of believers.^q Fear God. Honor the emperor.^*

The Example of Christ’s Suffering

¹⁸Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect,^r not only those who are good and gentle but also those who are dishonest. ¹⁹For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly. ²⁰If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this is a commendable thing before God.^{* 21}For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.^*

²²“He committed no sin,

and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.^{* 24}He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,^s so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds^t you have been healed.^{* 25}For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.^u*