彼得前书 4
上帝恩赐的好管家
1 既然基督在肉身受苦，你们也该将这样的心志作为兵器，因为在肉身受过苦的已经与罪断绝了， 2 使你们从今以后不再随从人的情欲，只顺从上帝的旨意，在世度余下的光阴。 3 因为你们从前随从外邦人的心意，生活在淫荡、情欲、醉酒、荒宴、狂饮和可憎的偶像崇拜中，时候已经够了。 4 在这些事上，他们见你们不与他们同奔放荡无度的路就以为怪，毁谤你们。 5 他们必须在那位将要审判活人死人的主面前交账。 6 为此，死人也曾有福音传给他们，要使他们的肉体按着人受审判，他们的灵却靠上帝活着。
7 万物的结局近了。所以你们要谨慎自守，要警醒祷告。 8 最要紧的是彼此切实相爱，因为爱能遮掩许多的罪。 9 你们要互相款待，不发怨言。 10 人人要照自己所得的恩赐彼此服事，作上帝各种恩赐的好管家。 11 若有人讲道，他要按着上帝的圣言讲；若有人服事，他要按着上帝所赐的力量服事，好让上帝在凡事上因耶稣基督得荣耀。愿荣耀和权能都归给他，直到永永远远。阿们！
基督徒的受苦
12 亲爱的，有火一般的考验临到你们，不要奇怪，似乎是遭遇非常的事； 13 倒要欢喜，因为你们是与基督一同受苦，使你们在他荣耀显现的时候也可以欢喜快乐。 14 你们若为基督的名受辱骂是有福的，因为荣耀的灵，就是上帝的灵，在你们身上。 15 你们中间，不可有人因为杀人、偷窃、作恶、好管闲事而受苦。 16 若有人因是基督徒而受苦，不要引以为耻，倒要因这名而归荣耀给上帝。 17 因为时候到了，审判要从上帝的家开始；若是先从我们开始，那么，不信从上帝福音的人将有何等的结局呢？
18 “若是义人还仅仅得救， 不虔敬和犯罪的人将有何地可站呢？”
19 所以，照上帝旨意受苦的人要一心为善，将自己的灵魂交给那信实的造物主。
1 PETER 4
Being Faithful to God
1 Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning. 2 It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. 3 You have already lived long enough like people who don't know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols. 4 Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it. 5 But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead.
6 The good news has even been preached to the dead, t so that after they have been judged for what they have done in this life, their spirits will live with God.
7 Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray.
8 t Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.
9 Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.
10 Each of you has been blessed with one of God's many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.
11 If you have the gift of speaking, preach God's message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.Suffering for Being //a Christian
12 Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire.
13 Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.
14 Count it a blessing when you suffer for being a Christian. This shows that God's glorious Spirit is with you. 15 But you deserve to suffer if you are a murderer, a thief, a crook, or a busybody. 16 Don't be ashamed to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God that you belong to him.
17 God has already begun judging his own people. And if his judgment begins with us, imagine how terrible it will be for those who refuse to obey his message. The Scriptures say,
18 t “If good people barely escape,
what will happen to sinners
and to others
who don't respect God?”
19 If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.