<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>

When he was maligned, he<n id="1" /> did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened<n id="2" /> no retaliation,<n id="3" /> but committed himself to God<n id="4" /> who judges justly.

Now it was for this very purpose<n id="1" /> that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead,<n id="2" /> so that though<n id="3" /> they were judged in the flesh<n id="4" /> by human standards<n id="5" /> they may live spiritually<n id="6" /> by God&#8217;s standards.<n id="7" />p>

He<n id="1" /> <b><i>committed noi>b> sin <b><i>nor was deceit found in his mouthi>b>.<n id="2" />

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" />

And <i><b>if the righteous are barely savedb>, <b>what will become ofb>i><n id="1" /> <b><i>the ungodly and sinners?i>b><n id="2" />

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, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ<n id="1" /> will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.<n id="2" />

for it is written, &#8220;<i><b>You shall be holyb>, <b>because I am holyb>i>.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Concerning this salvation,<n id="1" /> the prophets<n id="2" /> who predicted the grace that would come to you<n id="3" /> searched and investigated carefully.

and <b><i>a stumbling-stonei>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>and a rock to trip overb>.i><n id="2" /> They stumble<n id="3" /> because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.<n id="4" />

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

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another<n id="1" /> as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

But if you suffer as a Christian,<n id="1" /> do not be ashamed, but glorify<n id="2" /> God that you bear such a name.<n id="3" />

Whoever speaks, let it be with<n id="1" /> God&#8217;s words.<n id="2" /> Whoever serves, do so with the strength<n id="3" /> that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong<n id="4" /> the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.p>

<p class="bodytext">after they were disobedient long ago<n id="1" /> when God patiently waited<n id="2" /> in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark<n id="3" /> a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.

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>

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>but the word of the Lordi>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>endures foreverb>.i><n id="2" />p> <p class="bodyblock">And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.p>

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" />

So you who believe see<n id="1" /> his value,<n id="2" /> but for those who do not believe, <b><i>the stone that the builders rejected has become thei>b><n id="3" /> <i><b>cornerstoneb>,i><n id="4" />