1 Peter 2:9-25

New International Version

⁹But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(E) ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(F) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹Dear friends,^(G) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(H) to abstain from sinful desires,^(I) which wage war against your soul.^(J) ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(K) and glorify God^(L) on the day he visits us.

¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^(M) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^(N) and to commend those who do right.^(O) ¹⁵For it is God’s will^(P) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.^(Q) ¹⁶Live as free people,^(R) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(S) live as God’s slaves.^(T) ¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,^(U) fear God, honor the emperor.^(V)

¹⁸Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,^(W) not only to those who are good and considerate,^(X) but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.^(Y) ²⁰But 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.^(Z) ²¹To this^(AA) you were called,^(AB) because Christ suffered for you,^(AC) leaving you an example,^(AD) that you should follow in his steps.

²²“He committed no sin,^(AE)
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^[a]^(AF)

²³When they hurled their insults at him,^(AG) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.^(AH) Instead, he entrusted himself^(AI) to him who judges justly.^(AJ) ²⁴“He himself bore our sins”^(AK) in his body on the cross,^(AL) so that we might die to sins^(AM) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^(AN) ²⁵For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[b]^(AO) but now you have returned to the Shepherd^(AP) and Overseer of your souls.^(AQ)