1 S ince Christ has suffered in His body, we must be ready to suffer also. Suffering puts an end to sin.

Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, ye also with the same mind arm yourselves, because he who did suffer in the flesh hath done with sin,

2 Y ou should no longer spend the rest of your life giving in to the sinful desires of the flesh. But do what God wants as long as you live in this world.

no more in the desires of men, but in the will of God, to live the rest of the time in the flesh;

3 I n the past you gave enough of your life over to living like the people who do not know God. You gave your life to sex sins and to sinful desires. You got drunk and went to wild parties and to drinking parties and you worshiped false gods.

for sufficient to us the past time of life the will of the nations to have wrought, having walked in lasciviousnesses, desires, excesses of wines, revelings, drinking-bouts, and unlawful idolatries,

4 T hose who do not know God are surprised you do not join them in the sinful things they do. They laugh at you and say bad things against you.

in which they think it strange -- your not running with them to the same excess of dissoluteness, speaking evil,

5 R emember, they will give an answer to Him Who judges all who are living or dead.

who shall give an account to Him who is ready to judge living and dead,

6 F or this reason, the Good News was preached to the dead. They stood in the flesh before the One Who judges so they might live in the Spirit as God wants. Love Each Other

for for this also to dead men was good news proclaimed, that they may be judged, indeed, according to men in the flesh, and may live according to God in the spirit.

7 T he end of the world is near. You must be the boss over your mind. Keep awake so you can pray.

And of all things the end hath come nigh; be sober-minded, then, and watch unto the prayers,

8 M ost of all, have a true love for each other. Love covers many sins.

and, before all things, to one another having the earnest love, because the love shall cover a multitude of sins;

9 B e happy to have people stay for the night and eat with you.

hospitable to one another, without murmuring;

10 G od has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show God’s loving-favor.

each, according as he received a gift, to one another ministering it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;

11 I f a man preaches, let him do it with God speaking through him. If a man helps others, let him do it with the strength God gives. So in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ. Shining-greatness and power belong to Him forever. Let it be so. Stay True During Suffering

if any one doth speak -- `as oracles of God;' if any one doth minister -- `as of the ability which God doth supply;' that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power -- to the ages of the ages. Amen.

12 D ear friends, your faith is going to be tested as if it were going through fire. Do not be surprised at this.

Beloved, think it not strange at the fiery suffering among you that is coming to try you, as if a strange thing were happening to you,

13 B e happy that you are able to share some of the suffering of Christ. When His shining-greatness is shown, you will be filled with much joy.

but, according as ye have fellowship with the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice ye, that also in the revelation of his glory ye may rejoice -- exulting;

14 I f men speak bad of you because you are a Christian, you will be happy because the Spirit of shining-greatness and of God is in you.

if ye be reproached in the name of Christ -- happy, because the Spirit of glory and of God upon you doth rest; in regard, indeed, to them, he is evil-spoken of, and in regard to you, he is glorified;

15 N one of you should suffer as one who kills another person or as one who steals or as one who makes trouble or as one who tries to be the boss of other peoples’ lives.

for let none of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evil-doer, or as an inspector into other men's matters;

16 B ut if a man suffers as a Christian, he should not be ashamed. He should thank God that he is a Christian.

and if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; and let him glorify God in this respect;

17 T he time has come for Christians to stand before God and He will judge. If this happens to us, what will happen to those who do not obey the Good News of God?

because it is the time of the beginning of the judgment from the house of God, and if first from us, what the end of those disobedient to the good news of God?

18 I f it is hard for a man who is right with God to be saved, what will happen to the sinner?

And if the righteous man is scarcely saved, the ungodly and sinner -- where shall he appear?

19 S o if God wants you to suffer, give yourself to Him. He will do what is right for you. He made you and He is faithful.

so that also those suffering according to the will of god, as to a stedfast Creator, let them commit their own souls in good doing.