Suffering for Righteousness, Christ’s Victory, and Baptism
1 Peter 3:8-22
8The goal then is that all be like-minded, sympathetic, loving the brothers, compassionate, and humble-minded.9Do not pay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but instead bless, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.10For the one who desires to love life and to see good days must keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking deceit.11Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just and his ears are toward their petition, but the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil.13And who is the one who will harm you if you become zealots of the good?14But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear their fear, nor be troubled.15Sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, always ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a word about the hope that is in you.16But do this with gentleness and fear, having a good conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.17For it is better to suffer, if the will of God should will it, while doing good than while doing evil.18For Christ also once suffered concerning sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he might bring you near to God, having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.19In which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison.20To those who once disobeyed when the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while an ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water.21Baptism, which now saves you as its counterpart, is not a removal of the filth of the flesh but the pledge of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.22Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.