or to governors as those he commissions<n id="1" /> to punish wrongdoers and praise<n id="2" /> those who do good.

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>And he must turn away from evil and do good;i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>he must seek peace and pursue itb>.i>p>

Above all keep<n id="1" /> your love for one another fervent,<n id="2" /> because <i><b>love covers a multitude of sinsb>.i><n id="3" />

For it says<n id="1" /> in scripture, &#8220;<i><b>Lookb>, <b>I lay in Zion a stoneb>, <b>a chosen and priceless cornerstoneb>,i><n id="2" /> <b><i>and whoever believesi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>in himi>b><n id="4" /> <b><i>will neveri>b><n id="5" /> <i><b>be put to shameb>.i>&#8221;<n id="6" />

if <b><i>you have experiencedi>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>the Lord&#8217;s kindnessb>.i><n id="2" />p>

But you are <i>a chosen racei>, <i>a royal priesthoodi>, <i>a holy nationi>, <i>a people of his owni>, so that you may <i>proclaim the virtuesi><n id="1" /> of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

when they see your pure and reverent conduct.<n id="1" />

who by God&#8217;s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

<t /><p class="bodytext">So as you come to him,<n id="1" /> a living stone rejected by men but<n id="2" /> chosen and priceless<n id="3" /> in God&#8217;s sight,

For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands,

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>For the eyes of the Lord arei>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayerb>.i>p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>But the Lord&#8217;s face is against those who do evilb>.i><n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Dear friends, do not be astonished<n id="1" /> that a trial by fire is occurring among you,<n id="2" /> as though something strange were happening to you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Blessed be<n id="1" /> the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

They were shown<n id="1" /> that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things now announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven &#8211; things angels long to catch a glimpse of.p>

and maintain good conduct<n id="1" /> among the non-Christians,<n id="2" /> so that though<n id="3" /> they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.<n id="4" />p>

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners<n id="1" /> and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Through Silvanus,<n id="1" /> whom I know to be a faithful brother,<n id="2" /> I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify<n id="3" /> that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.<n id="4" />

Through him you now trust<n id="1" /> in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.p>

Forp> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>all fleshi>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>is like grassi>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and all its glory like the flower of the grass;i>b><n id="2" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>the grass withers and the flower falls off,i>b>p>

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless<n id="1" /> others<n id="2" /> because you were called to inherit a blessing.