And if you give the name of Father to him who, judging every man by his acts, has no respect for a man's position, then go in fear while you are on this earth:

Because you have had a new birth, not from the seed of man, but from eternal seed, through the word of a living and unchanging God.

To whom you come, as to a living stone, not honoured by men, but of great and special value to God;

Because it is said in the Writings, See, I am placing a keystone in Zion, of great and special value; and the man who has faith in him will not be put to shame.

Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all,

Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour:

For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done.

But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God.

For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit:

So that you may give the rest of your lives in the flesh, not to the desires of men, but to the purpose of God.

For this was the reason why the good news of Jesus was given even to the dead, so that they might be judged as men in the flesh, but might be living before God in the spirit.

If men say evil things of you because of the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God is resting on you.

Let no one among you undergo punishment as a taker of life, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as one who is over-interested in other men's business;

And if it is hard for even the good man to get salvation, what chance has the man without religion or the sinner?

I who am myself one of the rulers of the church, and a witness of the death of Christ, having my part in the coming glory, send this serious request to the chief men among you:

And in the same way, let the younger men be ruled by the older ones. Let all of you put away pride and make yourselves ready to be servants: for God is a hater of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low.