³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to ^(A)His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for ^(B)the fall and ^[a]rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be ^[b]opposed—

³⁹ And Jesus said, “^(A)For judgment I came into this world, so that ^(B)those who do not see may see, and ^(C)those who see may become blind.”

^7 (A)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

⁸ and,

^(E)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(F)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹ But you are ^(G)a chosen people, a royal ^(H)priesthood, a ^(I)holy nation, ^(J)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(K)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ^10 (L)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

^11 (M)Beloved, ^(N)I urge you as ^(O)foreigners and strangers to abstain from ^(P)fleshly lusts, which wage ^(Q)war against the soul. ^12 (R)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(S)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[b]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(T)glorify God ^(U)on the day of ^[c]visitation.

Honor Authority

^13 (V)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent ^[d]by him ^(W)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(X)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵ For ^[e](Y)such is the will of God, that by doing right you ^(Z)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶ Act as ^(AA)free people, and ^[f]do not use your freedom as a ^[g]covering for evil, but use it as ^(AB)bond-servants of God. ^17 (AC)Honor all people, ^(AD)love the brotherhood, ^(AE)fear God, ^(AF)honor the ^[h]king.

^18 (AG)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(AH)gentle, but also to those who are ^[i]harsh. ¹⁹ For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^(AI)conscience toward God a person endures ^[j]grief when suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(AJ)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For ^(AK)you have been called for this purpose, ^(AL)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(AM)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who ^(AN)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [k]and while being ^(AO)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[l](AP)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[m](AQ)cross, so that we ^(AR)might die to ^[n]sin and live for righteousness; ^(AS)by His ^[o]wounds you were ^(AT)healed. ²⁵ For you were ^(AU)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(AV)Shepherd and ^[p]Guardian of your souls.