1 Peter 2:11-25

111Beloved, 2I urge you as 3foreigners 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 10on 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 18silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Act as 19free people, and 20do not use your freedom as a 21covering for evil, but use it as 22bond-servants of God. 1723Honor all people, 24love the brotherhood, 25fear God, 26honor the 27king.

1828Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and 29gentle, but also to those who are 30harsh. 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of 31conscience toward God a person endures 32grief when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if 33when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21For 34you have been called for this purpose, 35because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 36an example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22He who 37committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 2338and while being 39abusively 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 4041brought our sins in His body up on the 4243cross, so that we 44might die to 45sin and live for righteousness; 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.