Font Size
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
English Standard Version Anglicised
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
English Standard Version Anglicised
11 Beloved, I urge you (A)as sojourners and exiles (B)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, (C)which wage war against your soul. 12 (D)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, (E)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on (F)the day of visitation.
Submission to Authority
13 (G)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[a] whether it be to the emperor[b] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him (H)to punish those who do evil and (I)to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, (J)that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 (K)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but (L)living as servants[c] of God. 17 (M)Honour everyone. (N)Love the brotherhood. (O)Fear God. Honour the emperor.
18 (P)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, (Q)mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But (R)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For (S)to this you have been called, (T)because Christ also suffered for you, (U)leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 (V)He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 (W)When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, (X)but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 (Y)He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we (Z)might die to sin and (AA)live to righteousness. (AB)By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For (AC)you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to (AD)the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Wives and Husbands
3 Likewise, wives, (AE)be subject to your own husbands, so that (AF)even if some do not obey the word, (AG)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your (AH)respectful and pure conduct. 3 (AI)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewellery, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be (AJ)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (AK)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and (AL)do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, (AM)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker (AN)vessel, since they are heirs with you[d] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you, (AO)have unity of mind, sympathy, (AP)brotherly love, (AQ)a tender heart, and (AR)a humble mind. 9 (AS)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (AT)bless, for (AU)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
(AV)“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:13 Or every institution ordained for people
- 1 Peter 2:13 Or king; also verse 17
- 1 Peter 2:16 Greek bondservants
- 1 Peter 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
New International Version
1 Peter 2:11-3:12
New International Version
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends,(A) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(B) to abstain from sinful desires,(C) which wage war against your soul.(D) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(E) and glorify God(F) on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:(G) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong(H) and to commend those who do right.(I) 15 For it is God’s will(J) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.(K) 16 Live as free people,(L) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(M) live as God’s slaves.(N) 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,(O) fear God, honor the emperor.(P)
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,(Q) not only to those who are good and considerate,(R) but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.(S) 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.(T) 21 To this(U) you were called,(V) because Christ suffered for you,(W) leaving you an example,(X) that you should follow in his steps.
23 When they hurled their insults at him,(AA) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(AB) Instead, he entrusted himself(AC) to him who judges justly.(AD) 24 “He himself bore our sins”(AE) in his body on the cross,(AF) so that we might die to sins(AG) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”(AH) 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[b](AI) but now you have returned to the Shepherd(AJ) and Overseer of your souls.(AK)
3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves(AL) to your own husbands(AM) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over(AN) without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(AO) 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self,(AP) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.(AQ) 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God(AR) used to adorn themselves.(AS) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.(AT) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7 Husbands,(AU) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(AV) be sympathetic, love one another,(AW) be compassionate and humble.(AX) 9 Do not repay evil with evil(AY) or insult with insult.(AZ) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(BA) because to this(BB) you were called(BC) so that you may inherit a blessing.(BD) 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.”[c](BE)
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
- 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)
- 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.