Study Desk

But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.

But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.

But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.

In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.

But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.

But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings.

But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.

They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness.