November 25
1 Pet 3:8-4:6
Finally, be all
like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous,
not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing;
knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“He who would love life,
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil,
and his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil, and do good.
Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears open to their prayer;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is
good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are
blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” But sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone
who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and
fear: having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as
evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in
Christ. For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing
well than for doing evil. Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the
righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to
death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which he also went and
preached to the spirits in prison, who before were disobedient, when God
waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it,
few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. This is a symbol of
baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven,
angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from
sin; that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for
the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our
past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness,
lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. They
think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of
riot, blaspheming: who will give account to him who is ready to judge the
living and the dead. For to this end the Good News was preached even to the
dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to
God in the spirit.
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