Tend the Flock of God

51 The elders which [are] among you I exhort, who [am their] fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of the Christ, who also [am] partaker of the glory about to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God which [is] among you, exercising oversight, not by necessity, but willingly; not for base gain, but readily; 3 not as lording it over your possessions, but being models for the flock. 4 And when the chief shepherd is manifested ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 Likewise [ye] younger, be subject to [the] elder, and all of you bind on humility towards one another; for God sets himself against [the] proud, but to [the] humble gives grace. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in [the due] time; 7 having cast all your care upon him, for he cares about you.

8 Be vigilant, watch. Your adversary [the] devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour. 9 Whom resist, stedfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which [is] in [the] world.

10 But the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, when ye have suffered for a little while, himself shall make perfect, stablish, strengthen, ground: 11 to him [be] the glory and the might for the ages of the ages. Amen.

Final Greetings

12 By Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I suppose, I have written to you briefly; exhorting and testifying that this is [the] true grace of God in which ye stand. 13 She that is elected with [you] in Babylon salutes you, and Marcus my son. 14 Salute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all who [are] in Christ.

The Behavior of Wives and Husbands

31 Likewise, wives, [be] subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without [the] word by the conversation of the wives, 2 having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear; 3 whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel; 4 but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. 5 For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands; 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation. 7 [Ye] husbands likewise, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, as with a weaker, [even] the female, vessel, giving [them] honour, as also fellow-heirs of [the] grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Suffer for Righteousness' Sake

8 Finally, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded; 9 not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing [others], because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing. 10 For he that will love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. 11 And let him avoid evil, and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it; 12 because [the] eyes of [the] Lord [are] on [the] righteous, and his ears towards their supplications; but [the] face of [the] Lord [is] against them that do evil. 13 And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which [is] good? 14 But if also ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye]; but be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled; 15 but sanctify [the] Lord the Christ in your hearts, and [be] always prepared to [give] an answer [to] every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that [is] in you, but with meekness and fear;

16 having a good conscience, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. 17 For [it is] better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer [as] well-doers than [as] evildoers;

18 for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, [the] just for [the] unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in [the] Spirit, 19 in which also going he preached to the spirits [which are] in prison, 20 heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in [the] days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:

21 which figure also now saves you, [even] baptism, not a putting away of [the] filth of flesh, but [the] demand as before God of a good conscience, by [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at [the] right hand of God, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him.