^14 (A)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(B)Have no fear of them, ^(C)nor be troubled,

¹⁷ For ^(A)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also ^(B)suffered^{[a] (C)}once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(D)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(E)in the flesh but made alive ^(F)in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which^[b] he went and ^(G)proclaimed^[c] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because^[d] they formerly did not obey, ^(H)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, ^(I)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, ^(J)eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(K)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(L)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(M)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and ^(N)is at the right hand of God, ^(O)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Stewards of God's Grace

4 Since therefore ^(P)Christ suffered in the flesh,^{[e] (Q)}arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for ^(R)whoever has suffered in the flesh ^(S)has ceased from sin, ^2 (T)so as to live for ^(U)the rest of the time in the flesh ^(V)no longer for human passions but ^(W)for the will of God.