1 Peter 3:13 – 4:6

1 Peter 3

Suffering for Doing Good

¹³ Who will harm you if you are eager to do ^[1] what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should happen to suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. Do not be afraid of what they fear, ^[2] and do not be troubled. ¹⁵ But regard the Lord, the Christ, ^[3] as holy in your hearts. ^[4] Always be prepared to give an answer ^[5] to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you. ¹⁶ But speak with gentleness and respect, while maintaining a clear conscience, so that those who attack your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame because they slandered you as evildoers. ^[6]

The Suffering and Exaltation of Christ

¹⁷ Indeed, it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, ¹⁸ because Christ also suffered once for sins in our place, ^[7] the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you ^[8] to God. He was put to death in flesh ^[9] but was made alive in spirit, ^{[10] 19} in which he also went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. ²⁰ These spirits disobeyed long ago, when God’s patience was waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. ²¹ And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee ^[11] of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ²² He went to heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Do Not Join in Immorality

1 Peter 4

¹ Therefore, because Christ suffered in flesh, ^[12] arm yourselves with the same mindset, because the one who has suffered in flesh is done with sin. ² Do this so that you no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh for human desires but for God’s will. ³ Indeed, you have already spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles want to do: living in unbridled immorality, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and disgusting idolatry.

⁴ For this reason, they are surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you. ⁵ They will have to give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ In fact, it was for this reason that the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that they might be judged the way people are judged in flesh and that they might live the way God lives in spirit.