1 Peter 2:24-4:8

English Standard Version

²⁴^(A)He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we ^(B)might die to sin and ^(C)live to righteousness. ^(D)By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵For ^(E)you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to ^(F)the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, ^(G)be subject to your own husbands, so that ^(H)even if some do not obey the word, ^(I)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ²when they see your ^(J)respectful and pure conduct. ³^(K)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴but let your adorning be ^(L)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(M)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and ^(N)do not fear anything that is frightening.

⁷Likewise, ^(O)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker ^(P)vessel, since they are heirs with you^[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸Finally, all of you, ^(Q)have unity of mind, sympathy, ^(R)brotherly love, ^(S)a tender heart, and ^(T)a humble mind. ⁹^(U)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, ^(V)bless, for ^(W)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰For

^(X)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For 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.”

¹³Now ^(Y)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴^(Z)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(AA)Have no fear of them, ^(AB)nor be troubled, ¹⁵but ^(AC)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(AD)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(AE)respect, ¹⁶^(AF)having a good conscience, so that, ^(AG)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(AH)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also ^(AI)suffered^[b] ^(AJ)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(AK)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(AL)in the flesh but made alive ^(AM)in the spirit, ¹⁹in which^[c] he went and ^(AN)proclaimed^[d] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰because^[e] they formerly did not obey, ^(AO)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, ^(AP)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, ^(AQ)eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(AR)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(AS)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(AT)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and ^(AU)is at the right hand of God, ^(AV)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Stewards of God's Grace

4 Since therefore ^(AW)Christ suffered in the flesh,^[f] ^(AX)arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for ^(AY)whoever has suffered in the flesh ^(AZ)has ceased from sin, ²^(BA)so as to live for ^(BB)the rest of the time in the flesh ^(BC)no longer for human passions but ^(BD)for the will of God. ³For the time that is past ^(BE)suffices ^(BF)for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of ^(BG)debauchery, and ^(BH)they malign you; ⁵but they will give account to him who is ready ^(BI)to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For this is why ^(BJ)the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

⁷^(BK)The end of all things is at hand; therefore ^(BL)be self-controlled and sober-minded ^(BM)for the sake of your prayers. ⁸Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since ^(BN)love covers a multitude of sins.