1 Peter 2:11-3:7

New King James Version

Living Before the World

¹¹Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts ^(A)which war against the soul, ¹²^(B)having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(C)they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Government^(D)

¹³^(E)Therefore submit yourselves to every ^[a]ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— ¹⁶^(F)as free, yet not ^(G)using liberty as a cloak for ^[b]vice, but as bondservants of God. ¹⁷Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear ^(H)God. Honor the king.

Submission to Masters^(I)

¹⁸^(J)Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. ¹⁹For this is ^(K)commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰For ^(L)what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. ²¹For ^(M)to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for ^[c]us, ^(N)leaving ^[d]us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²²“Who^(O) committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

²³^(P)who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but ^(Q)committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴^(R)who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, ^(S)that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—^(T)by whose ^[e]stripes you were healed. ²⁵For ^(U)you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned ^(V)to the Shepherd and ^[f]Overseer of your souls.

Submission to Husbands

3 Wives, likewise, be ^(W)submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, ^(X)they, without a word, may ^(Y)be won by the conduct of their wives, ²^(Z)when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. ³^(AA)Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴rather let it be ^(AB)the hidden person of the heart, with the ^[g]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(AC)calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

A Word to Husbands

⁷^(AD)Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, ^(AE)as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, ^(AF)that your prayers may not be hindered.