1 Peter 3:8-18

New American Standard Bible

⁸^[a]To sum up, ^(A)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^[b]^(B)loving, ^(C)compassionate, and ^(D)humble; ⁹^(E)not returning evil for evil or ^(F)insult for insult, but giving a ^(G)blessing instead; for ^(H)you were called for the very purpose that you would ^(I)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

“^(J)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹^(K)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²^(L)For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

¹³^(M)And who is ^[c]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should ^(N)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(O)you ^[d]are blessed. ^(P)And do not fear their ^[e]intimidation, and do not be in dread, ¹⁵but ^[f]sanctify ^(Q)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(R)to make a ^[g]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(S)hope that is in you, but ^(T)with gentleness and ^(U)respect; ¹⁶^[h]and keep a ^(V)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(W)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(X)it is better, ^(Y)if ^[i]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸For ^(Z)Christ also ^[j]suffered for sins ^(AA)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(AB)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(AC)in the flesh, but made alive ^(AD)in the ^[k]spirit;