Study Desk

^(aa)Beloved, ^(ab)I urge you as ^(ac)aliens and strangers to abstain from ^(ad)fleshly lusts which wage ^(ae)war against the soul.

^(af)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(ag)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[n]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(ah)glorify God ^(ai)in the day of ^[o]visitation.

^(aj)Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

or to governors as sent ^[p]by him ^(ak)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(al)praise of those who do right.

For ^[q](am)such is the will of God that by doing right you may ^(an)silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Act as ^(ao)free men, and ^[r]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^(ap)bondslaves of God.

^(aq)Honor all people, ^(ar)love the brotherhood, ^(as)fear God, ^(at)honor the ^[s]king.

^(au)Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(av)gentle, but also to those who are ^[t]unreasonable.

For this finds ^[u]favor, if for the sake of ^(aw)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(ax)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds ^[v]favor with God.

For ^(ay)you have been called for this purpose, ^(az)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(ba)an example for you to follow in His steps,

who ^(bb) committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth ;

^[w]and while being ^(bc)reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

and He Himself ^[x](bd)bore our sins in His body on the ^[y](be)cross, so that we ^(bf)might die to ^[z]sin and live to righteousness; for ^(bg)by His ^[aa]wounds you were ^(bh)healed.

For you were ^(bi)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(bj)Shepherd and ^[ab]Guardian of your souls.