This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully.

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

For this finds God's favor, if because of conscience toward God someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.

For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God.

For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps.

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.

And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you -- not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Now it was for this very purpose that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh by human standards they may live spiritually by God's standards.

Through Silvanus, whom I know to be a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.