1 Peter 4:1-9

1Christ had trouble and pain while he lived in his human body. So you should prepare yourselves to have trouble and pain too. Think about it in the same way that Christ did. If someone has trouble and pain in his body, he stops doing wrong things.

2As a result, that person will want to do what God wants him to do. In his life in this world, he will not want to do the bad things that people think are good.

3You have already had enough time in your life to do bad things. Those are the kinds of things that people who do not know God like to do. You did many evil things that your bodies wanted to do. You had sex in a wrong way. You often became drunk. You went to wild parties where you drank too much alcohol. You also worshipped useless idols.

4But now you no longer live in the same wicked way as those people do. They continue to enjoy those wrong things all the time. But you do not join with them. So they insult you.

5But those people will have to explain to God what they have done. He is ready to judge every person, whether they are alive now or they have already died.

6That is why even dead people needed to hear the good news about Christ. Their bodies had to die, as all people must die. But they heard the good news so that their spirits could live, as God wants them to live.

7All things in this world will soon come to an end. So you must think clearly. Then you will be able to pray in a serious way.

8Continue to love each other very much. That is more important than anything else. If you love people, you will forgive them for any wrong things that they have done.

9Always be happy to have other believers as visitors in your homes.