Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 4

Keep Fervent in Your Love

¹ Therefore, since ^(C1)Christ has ^(F1)suffered in the flesh, ^(C2)arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because ^(C3)the one who has ^(F1)suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,^2 (C1)so as to live ^(C2)the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the ^(C3)will of God.³ For ^(C1)the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, ^(F1)(C2)having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.⁴ In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of ^(F1)(C1)debauchery, and they ^(C2)slander you;⁵ but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge ^(C1)the living and the dead.⁶ For ^(C1)the gospel has for this purpose been ^(F1)preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as people, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

^7 (C1)The end of all things ^(F1)is near; therefore, ^(C2)be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of ^(F2)prayer.⁸ Above all, ^(C1)keep fervent in your love for one another, because ^(C2)love covers a multitude of sins.^9 (C1)Be hospitable to one another without ^(C2)complaint.^10 (C1)As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^(C2)stewards of the ^(F1)multifaceted grace of God.^11 (C1)Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking ^(C2)actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving ^(F1)(C3)by the strength which God supplies; so that ^(C4)in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^(C5)to whom belongs the glory and ^(F2)dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Share the Sufferings of Christ

^12 (C1)Beloved, do not be surprised at the ^(C2)fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you;¹³ but to the degree that you ^(C1)share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the ^(C2)revelation of His glory ^(C3)you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.¹⁴ If you are insulted ^(F1)(C1)for the name of Christ, ^(C2)you are blessed, ^(C3)because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you.¹⁵ Make sure that ^(C1)none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ^(F1)(C2)troublesome meddler;¹⁶ but if anyone suffers as a ^(C1)Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to ^(C2)glorify God in this name.¹⁷ For it is time for judgment ^(C1)to begin ^(F1)with ^(C2)the household of God; and if it ^(C3)begins ^(F1)with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^(C4)who do not obey the ^(C5)gospel of God?^18 (C1)AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, ^(F1)WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE ^(C2)GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER?¹⁹ Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^(C1)the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Chapter 5

Serve God Willingly

^1 (C1)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your ^(C2)fellow elder and a ^(C3)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a ^(F1)(C4)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed:² shepherd ^(C1)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, ^(C2)not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^(C3)not ^(F1)with greed but with eagerness;³ nor yet as ^(C1)domineering over ^(F1)those assigned to your care, but by ^(F2)proving to be ^(F3)(C2)examples to the flock.⁴ And when the Chief ^(C1)Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(C2)unfading ^(F1)(C3)crown of glory.^5 (C1)You ^(F1)younger men, likewise, ^(C2)be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with ^(C3)humility toward one another, because ^(C4)GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

⁶ Therefore ^(C1)humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,⁷ having cast all your ^(C1)anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.^8 (C1)Be of sober spirit, ^(C2)be on the alert. Your adversary, ^(C3)the devil, prowls around like a roaring ^(C4)lion, seeking someone to devour.^9 (F1)(C1)So resist him, ^(C2)firm in your faith, knowing that ^(C3)the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your ^(F2)brothers and sisters who are in the world.¹⁰ After you have suffered ^(C1)for a little while, the ^(C2)God of all grace, who ^(C3)called you to His ^(C4)eternal glory in Christ, will Himself ^(C5)perfect, ^(C6)confirm, strengthen, and establish you.^11 (C1)To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Through ^(C1)Silvanus, our faithful brother ^(F1)(for so I regard him), ^(C2)I have written to you briefly, ^(F2)exhorting and testifying that this is ^(C3)the true grace of God. ^(C4)Stand firm in it!¹³ She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, ^(C1)Mark.

^14 (C1)Greet one another with a kiss of love. ^(C2)Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

Chapter 2

The Appearance of False Prophets

¹ But ^(C1)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be ^(C2)false teachers ^(C3)among you, who will ^(C4)secretly introduce ^(C5)destructive heresies, even ^(C6)denying the ^(C7)Master who ^(C8)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.² Many will follow their ^(C1)indecent behavior, and because of them ^(C2)the way of the truth will be ^(C3)maligned;³ and in their ^(C1)greed they will ^(C2)exploit you with ^(C3)false words; ^(C4)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For ^(C1)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into ^(F1)hell and ^(C2)committed them to ^(F2)pits of darkness, held for judgment;⁵ and did not spare ^(C1)the ancient world, but protected ^(C2)Noah, a ^(F1)preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ^(C3)flood upon the world of the ungodly;⁶ and if He ^(C1)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an ^(C2)example ^(F1)of what is coming for the ^(C3)ungodly;⁷ and if He ^(C1)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the ^(C2)perverted conduct of ^(F1)(C3)unscrupulous people⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that ^(C1)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),^9 (C1)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from ^(F1)a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the ^(C2)day of judgment,

¹⁰ and especially those who ^(F1)(C1)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and ^(C2)despise ^(F2)authority. ^(F3)Reckless, ^(C3)self-centered, they ^(C2)speak abusively of angelic ^(F4)majesties without trembling,^11 (C1)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord.¹² But ^(C1)these, like unreasoning animals, ^(C2)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in ^(F1)the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,¹³ suffering wrong as ^(C1)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to ^(C2)revel in the ^(C3)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, ^(C2)reveling in their ^(F1)deceptions as they ^(C4)feast with you,¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery ^(F1)that never cease from sin, ^(C1)enticing ^(C2)unstable souls, having hearts trained in ^(C3)greed, ^(C4)accursed children;¹⁵ abandoning ^(C1)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ^(C2)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(C3)the ^(F1)reward of unrighteousness;¹⁶ but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ^(C1)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are ^(C1)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ^(C2)for whom the ^(F1)black darkness has been reserved.¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(C1)arrogant words of no ^(C2)value they ^(C3)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(C4)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(C5)escape from the ones who live in error,¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(C1)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved.²⁰ For if, after they have ^(C1)escaped the defilements of the world by ^(C2)the knowledge of the ^(C3)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ^(C4)entangled in them and are overcome, ^(C5)the last state has become worse for them than the first.^21 (C1)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ^(C2)the holy commandment ^(C3)handed on to them.^22 (F1)It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "^(C1)A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."