Being Faithful to God
1 Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning. 2 It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. 3 You 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 partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols. 4 Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it. 5 But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead. 6 The good news has even been preached to the dead, so that after they have been judged for what they have done in this life, their spirits will live with God.
7 Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray.
8 Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.
9 Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.
10 Each 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. 11 If 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 honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.
Suffering for Being a Christian
12 Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. 13 Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.
14 Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you. 15 But you deserve to suffer if you are a murderer, a thief, a crook, or a busybody. 16 Don't be ashamed to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God that you belong to him. 17 God 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,
what will happen to sinners
and to others
who don't respect God?”
19 If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.
1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh, arme your selues likewise with the same minde, which is, that he which hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sinne, 2 That he hence forward should liue (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. 3 For it is sufficient for vs that we haue spet the time past of ye life, after the lust of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnes, lustes, drunkennes, in gluttonie, drinkings, and in abominable idolatries. 4 Wherein it seemeth to them strange, that yee runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot: therefore speake they euill of you, 5 Which shall giue accounts to him, that is readie to iudge quicke and dead. 6 For vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached also vnto the dead, that they might bee condemned, according to men in the flesh, but might liue according to God in the spirit. 7 Now the ende of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watching in prayer. 8 But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you: for loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes. 9 Be ye harberous one to another, without grudging. 10 Let euery man as hee hath receiued the gift, minister the same one to another, as good disposers of the manifolde grace of God. 11 If any man speake, let him speake as the wordes of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the abilitie which God ministreth, that God in al things may be glorified through Iesus Christ, to whome is prayse and dominion for euer, and euer, Amen. 12 Dearely beloued, thinke it not strange concerning the firie triall, which is among you to proue you, as though some strange thing were come vnto you: 13 But reioyce, in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christs suffrings, that when his glory shall appeare, ye may be glad and reioyce. 14 If yee be railed vpon for the Name of Christ, blessed are ye: for the spirit of glory, and of God resteth vpon you: which on their part is euill spoken of: but on your part is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murtherer, or as a thiefe, or an euil doer, or as a busibodie in other mens matters. 16 But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not bee ashamed: but let him glorifie God in this behalfe. 17 For the time is come, that iudgement must beginne at the house of God. If it first beginne at vs, what shall the ende be of them which obey not the Gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely bee saued, where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit their soules to him in well doing, as vnto a faithfull Creator.