1 Peter 4
4
Being faithful to God
1Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning. 2It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. 3You have already lived long enough like people who don't know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and feasting and carrying on. In fact, you even worshipped disgusting idols. 4Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it. 5But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead. 6The good news has even been preached to the dead,#4.6 the dead: Either people who died after becoming followers of Christ or the people of Noah's day (see 3.19). so that after they have been judged for what they have done in this life, their spirits will live with God.
7Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray.
8Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.#Pr 10.12.
9Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.
10Each of you has been blessed with one of God's many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. 11If you have the gift of speaking, preach God's message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honour to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful for ever. Amen.
Suffering for being a Christian
12Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. 13Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.
14Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you. 15But you deserve to suffer if you are a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or a busybody. 16Don't be ashamed to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God that you belong to him. 17God has already begun judging his own people. And if his judgment begins with us, imagine how terrible it will be for those who refuse to obey his message. The Scriptures say,
18“If good people barely escape,#Pr 11.31 (LXX).
what will happen to sinners
and to others
who don't respect God?”
19If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
1 Peter 4
4
1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. 5They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.
7But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. 8And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters. 16But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter. 17For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God? 18“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”#Proverbs 11:31 19Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.
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