1 Peter 2:11-3:12
New Catholic Bible
God’s People in a Hostile World[a]
11 Lead a Good Life amidst Pagans.[b] Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles not to succumb to the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles so that, although they now malign you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Christianity Is Not a Subversive Group.[c] For the Lord’s sake, submit to every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme 14 or of governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do good works. 15 For it is the will of God that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk of fools.
16 As servants of God, behave as free people, but do not use your freedom as a means to cover up wrongdoing. 17 Give due honor to everyone. Love your fellow believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Recommendations for Slaves.[d] Slaves, submit to your masters with due respect, not only to those who are kind and forbearing but also to those who are harsh. 19 It is a sign of grace if you endure the pain of unjust suffering because of your awareness of God.
20 What credit do you deserve if you are patient when you are beaten for doing wrong? However, if you are patient when you do what is right and suffer for it, you have earned merit with God.
21 [e]This, in fact, is what you have been called to do, because Christ himself suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his footsteps.
22 He committed no sin,[f]
and no deceit was found on his lips.
23 When he was abused, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he made no threats, but he placed his trust in the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live in righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep who had gone astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.[g]
Chapter 3
Recommendations for Spouses.[h] 1 In the same way, you who are wives should accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if they do not believe the word, they may be won over without words simply by the conduct of their wives 2 as they observe your reverence and your chaste behavior.
3 [i]Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. 4 Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
5 It was in this way that the holy women who placed their hope in God long ago used to adorn themselves and be submissive to their husbands. 6 Thus, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her “lord.” You are now her daughters as long as you live good lives and never allow fears to alarm you.
7 Likewise, you who are husbands must show consideration for your wives in your life together. Treat your wife with respect, for even though she is the weaker partner, she is also an equal heir of God’s gift[j] of life. Thus, your prayers will not be hindered in any way.
Mutual Love.[k] 8 Finally, all of you should be united in spirit, sympathetic, filled with love for one another, compassionate, and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or abuse with abuse. On the contrary, repay with a blessing. This is what you were called to do, so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For:
“If anyone wishes to love life
and to experience good days,
he must restrain his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn away from evil and do good,
seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
However, the face of the Lord
is set against those who do evil.”
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:11 The author sets forth a few practical implications of what it means to be God’s people in a hostile world. Christians are to be submissive to others—to civil authority, to masters, and to spouses in imitation of Christ’s submissiveness. He ends up citing five virtues from Christ’s life that should be of help to all.
- 1 Peter 2:11 Christians are to be on their best behavior in the midst of pagans even if for a time they are greeted with criticism and hostility because they do not accept the morals of the age. On the day of the Lord’s arrival, everything will be made clear. While they wait for that day, Christians are on earth as a pilgrim people, i.e., they do not put their stamp of approval on any society and any culture.
- 1 Peter 2:13 Christianity is not subversive and does not oppose the organization of society on principle. The first persecutions were based on such accusations, and it is one more reason to stress their loyalty but also their sense of freedom. Political power has its ultimate foundation in God the Creator of human society, and not in the personality of those who govern (see Rom 13:1-7; Tit 3:1). In the Book of Revelation, the Christian attitude toward the imperial power will be less serene.
- 1 Peter 2:18 The first generations of Christians have above all the concern to spread the Gospel as the response to desire for salvation on the part of all people. The believers are only a handful. It would be a mistake to attribute to them the plan to develop a critique of the structures of society. But they themselves model new human and social relations. Many of them are slaves; in the Church, they are recognized as full Christians. This is one more reason not to lay oneself open to the accusation of insubordination that is leveled at these new communities. Hence, for the present moment, here is a way of living with service, even in conditions of injustice. The example of Christ imposes itself; it is interpreted here in magnificent terms by means of one of the great texts about the Servant of God (Isa 53:5-12). We should not interpret this text as presenting a doctrine of resignation. It calls for an attitude that refuses to respond to injustice with hatred or duplicity (see Eph 6:5-9; Col 3:22-25; 1 Tim 6:1-2; Tit 2:9-10).
- 1 Peter 2:21 The example of Christ is obvious; it is here interpreted in grandiose terms by means of the great text on the Servant of God in Isa 53:5-12.
- 1 Peter 2:22 He committed no sin . . .: Christ was absolutely sinless (see Acts 3:14; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Jn 3:5).
- 1 Peter 2:25 The shepherd and guardian of your souls: the sheep had wandered from their shepherd (Christ), but now they have returned to him. Thus, the Suffering Servant, vindicated in the Resurrection (see Isa 52:13; 53:11), becomes the Good Shepherd (see Jn 10:11; 13:10). For “shepherd” in the Old Testament, see Ps 23; Isa 40:11; Ezek 37:24.
- 1 Peter 3:1 How does one’s Christianity affect the way that one lives family life? The main problem is the difficult one of the wife who converts but is not followed by her husband. Let her not seek to put pressure on him, but let her give him the witness of a Christian wife whose gentleness and silence are in contrast to agitation and vanity.
A Christian husband is asked to regard his wife as a believing Christian in all respects, to understand feminine psychology, and to show great sensitivity of heart (see 1 Cor 7:12-15; Eph 5:32-33; Col 3:19). - 1 Peter 3:3 The author does not prohibit the use of jewelry and other adornments but stresses the fact that the greatest adornments are spiritual ones.
- 1 Peter 3:7 An equal heir of God’s gift: both spouses in a marriage have received the same gift from God. Hence, there should be mutual respect and love between them (see Eph 5:33; Col 3:19).
- 1 Peter 3:8 Mutual love of Christians is expressed in a new type of social relations and inner attitudes that lead up to evangelical behavior (see Lk 6:28; Rom 12:9-20).
