You [should] know that you were bought back [from Satan], from your useless way of life, inherited from your forefathers, not with such perishable things as silver and gold,

You should live such good lives before [unconverted] Gentiles, so that even though they accuse you of being evildoers, by seeing your good deeds, they will [be led to] honor God [for you] on the day He visits us again [i.e., to bring judgment].

Submit yourselves to every authority set up by people for the Lord's sake. [Submit to] a king as the [highest] authority,

For those of you who put up with such suffering unjustly, because of your close relationship to God, are to be commended.

Do not let your [adornment] be [the decorations] of the physical body, such as elaborate hair-dos, the wearing of golden [jewelry] and the wearing of [stunning] outfits.

Sarah obeyed her husband Abraham, even referring to him [in respectful terms such] as "sir." You [wives] are her [spiritual] descendants if you also do what is right and are not fearful [that things in life will turn out badly].

Now, those people you used to run around with cannot understand why you have stopped living such wasteful lives, so they just "badmouth" you.

Above everything else, have a warm love for one another, for such a love keeps many sins from occurring [between you].

If someone's gift is speaking, he should [be sure to] say only what God wants him to. If a person's gift is serving, he should do so by the strength provided by God [who supplies all such gifts]. This is so that, in using all gifts, God may be honored through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs honor and power forever and ever. May it be so.

And if people who are trying to do right [i.e., Christians] are saved through [suffering] such difficulties, where will the ungodly and sinful person end up, [if not in hell]?