and a stumbling-stone ¹  and a rock to trip over. ²  They stumble ³  because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ⁴ 

Above all keep ¹  your love for one another fervent, ²  because love covers a multitude of sins. ³ 

because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

But in fact, if you happen to suffer ¹  for doing what is right, ²  you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them ³  or be shaken. ⁴ 

Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ¹  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ² 

But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed ¹  you may also rejoice and be glad. ² 

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

For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians ¹  desire. ²  You lived then ³  in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, ⁴  and wanton idolatries. ⁵ 

that is, ¹  into ²  an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you,

but the word of the Lord ¹  endures forever. ²  And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,

For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep ¹  his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

So, since Christ suffered ¹  in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, ² 

And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here ¹  in reverence.

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless ¹  others ²  because you were called to inherit a blessing.

Now it was for this very purpose ¹  that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, ²  so that though ³  they were judged in the flesh ⁴  by human standards ⁵  they may live spiritually ⁶  by God’s standards. ⁷ 

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, ¹  who is the Spirit of God, ²  rests ³  on you.