Study Desk

This makes you very happy, even though now for a short time different kinds of troubles may make you sad.

It was shown them that their service was not for themselves but for you, when they told about the truths you have now heard. Those who preached the Good News to you told you those things with the help of the Holy Spirit who was sent from heaven—things into which angels desire to look.

So prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you.

You pray to God and call him Father, and he judges each person's work equally. So while you are here on earth, you should live with respect for God.

Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for your sake.

Now that your obedience to the truth has purified your souls, you can have true love for your Christian brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply with all your heart.

But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

For the Lord's sake, yield to the people who have authority in this world: the king, who is the highest authority,

Show respect for all people: Love the brothers and sisters of God's family, respect God, honor the king.

If you are beaten for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for being patient in your punishment. But if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased.

This is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and gave you an example to follow. So you should do as he did.

Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And you are healed because of his wounds.

Your husbands will see the pure lives you live with your respect for God.

He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it.

But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed. "Don't be afraid of what they fear; do not dread those things." Isaiah 8:12–13

It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants.

Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God. His body was killed, but he was made alive in the spirit.

who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah. God was waiting patiently for them while Noah was building the boat. Only a few people—eight in all—were saved by water.

For this reason the Good News was preached to those who are now dead. Even though they were judged like all people, the Good News was preached to them so they could live in the spirit as God lives.

Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause people to forgive each other for many sins.