I Peter 3:8-22
Finally,
all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the
contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
For
"Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Now who is
there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should
suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor
be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being
prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope
that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good
conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good
behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing
good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
For Christ
also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly
did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was
being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely
through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a
removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at
the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected
to him. (ESV)
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This reading is taken from 30 Scripture Readings on Character
& Integrity. The complete book
can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KYN53A
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright © 2001,
Wheaton: Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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