1 Peter 2:11-25

111Beloved, 2I urge you as 3aliens and strangers to abstain from 4fleshly lusts which wage 5war against the soul. 126Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they 7slander you as evildoers, they may 8because of your good deeds, as they observe them, 9glorify God 10in the day of 11visitation.

1312Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent 13by him 14for the punishment of evildoers and the 15praise of those who do right. 15For 1617such is the will of God that by doing right you may 18silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as 19free men, and 20do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as 21bondslaves of God. 1722Honor all people, 23love the brotherhood, 24fear God, 25honor the 26king.

1827Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and 28gentle, but also to those who are 29unreasonable. 19For this finds 30favor, if for the sake of 31conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if 32when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds 33favor with God. 21For 34you have been called for this purpose, 35since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 36an example for you to follow in His steps, 22who 37committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 2338and while being 39reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself 4041bore our sins in His body on the 4243cross, so that we 44might die to 45sin and live to righteousness; for 46by His 47wounds you were 48healed. 25For you were 49continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the 50Shepherd and 51Guardian of your souls.