HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1501
1 PETER 4
page 1131
insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and
he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,
11
12
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who
do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”*
Suffering for Doing Good
13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are
eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for
doing what is right, God will reward you for it.
So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your
life. And if someone asks about your hope as a
believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do
this in a gentle and respectful way.* Keep your
conscience clear. Then if people speak against
you, they will be ashamed when they see what a
good life you live because you belong to Christ.
17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that is what God wants, than to suffer for
doing wrong!
18 Christ suffered* for our sins once for all
time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners
to bring you safely home to God. He suffered
physical death, but he was raised to life in the
Spirit.*
19 So he went and preached to the spirits in
prison—20 those who disobeyed God long ago
when God waited patiently while Noah was
building his boat. Only eight people were
saved from drowning in that terrible flood.*
21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which
now saves you, not by removing dirt from your
body, but as a response to God from* a clean
conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22 Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated
in the place of honor next to God, and all the
angels and authorities and powers accept his
authority.
Living for God
So then, since Christ suffered physical
pain, you must arm yourselves with the
same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer,
too. For if you have suffered physically for
4
3:10-12 Ps 34:12-16. 3:16 Some English translations put this
sentence in verse 15. 3:18a Some manuscripts read died.
3:18b Or in spirit. 3:20 Greek saved through water. 3:21 Or
as an appeal to God for. 4:1 Or For the one [or One] who has
suffered physically has finished with sin. 4:6a Greek preached
even to the dead. 4:6b Or so although people had judged them
worthy of death. 4:6c Or in spirit.
Christ, you have finished with sin.* 2 You won’t
spend the rest of your lives chasing your own
desires, but you will be anxious to do the will
of God. 3 You have had enough in the past of
the evil things that godless people enjoy—their
immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
— promises—
from God
So if you are suffering
in a manner that
pleases God, keep on
doing what is right, and
trust your lives to the
God who created you,
for he will never fail you.
1 P E T E R 4:1 9
4 Of course, your former friends are surprised
when you no longer plunge into the flood of
wild and destructive things they do. So they
slander you. 5 But remember that they will have
to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6 That is why
the Good News was preached to those who are
now dead*—so although they were destined to
die like all people,* they now live forever with
God in the Spirit.*
7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
8 Most important of all, continue to show deep
love for each other, for love covers a multitude
of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those
who need a meal or a place to stay.
10 God has given each of you a gift from his
great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well
to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of
speaking? Then speak as though God himself
were speaking through you. Do you have the gift
of helping others? Do it with all the strength and
energy that God supplies. Then everything you
do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.
All glory and power to him forever and ever!
Amen.
Suffering for Being a Christian
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery
trials you are going through, as if something
strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be
very glad—for these trials make you partners
with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have
the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is
revealed to all the world.