1 Peter 2:10-25

101for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

112Beloved, 3I urge you as 4foreigners and strangers to abstain from 5fleshly lusts, which wage 6war against the soul. 127Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they 8slander you as evildoers, they may 9because of your good deeds, as they observe them, 10glorify God 11on the day of 12visitation.

1313Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent 14by him 15for the punishment of evildoers and the 16praise of those who do right. 15For 1718such is the will of God, that by doing right you 19silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Act as 20free people, and 21do not use your freedom as a 22covering for evil, but use it as 23bond-servants of God. 1724Honor all people, 25love the brotherhood, 26fear God, 27honor the 28king.

1829Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and 30gentle, but also to those who are 31harsh. 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of 32conscience toward God a person endures 33grief when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if 34when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21For 35you have been called for this purpose, 36because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 37an example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22He who 38committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 2339and while being 40abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself 4142brought our sins in His body up on the 4344cross, so that we 45might die to 46sin and live for righteousness; 47by His 48wounds you were 49healed. 25For you were 50continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the 51Shepherd and 52Guardian of your souls.