4 Christ suffered in his body. You also must be ready to have the same trouble happen to you. When a man has suffered in his body, he has stopped doing wrong things.

² For the rest of his life on earth he will not do what people want to do. He will do what God wants him to do.

³ In the time past you did the same things as people who do not believe God. Let that be enough. You did things you should be ashamed of. You did what you wanted to do. You got drunk. You got into fights. You took part in noisy feasting with dancing. You did wrong by worshipping idols.

⁴ Those people are surprised now that you do not do the same wrong things they do. And they say wrong things about you.

⁵ They will have to explain what they are doing. They will have to talk to God about what they have done. He is ready to judge living people and dead people.

⁶ That is why the good news was also told to those who are now dead. They will be judged like men who are alive. This was done so that they could live like God in the spirit.

⁷ It is almost the time when the world will end. So be wise and watch and talk to God.

⁸ Here is something that matters very much. You must love each other very much. Love will cover up many wrong things.

⁹ Be glad to take other Christians into your house and care for them. And do not grumble about it.

¹⁰ God has given each person a gift. That gift is something he can do. Each one should use his gift to help the others. In that way you all make good use of the many blessings God has given you.

¹¹ Has God blessed you by knowing how to talk? Then you should talk the words of God. Are you a helper? Then you should help with the strength God has given you. In all that you do, you should show that God is great through Jesus Christ. He has praise and power for ever. Yes, he has!

¹² My dear brothers, do not be surprised by the hard trouble like fire that comes to test you. Do not think some new thing is happening to you.

¹³ Be glad when you suffer as Christ did. Then you will also be very glad when he comes and you see how great he is.

¹⁴ Do men say wrong things about you because you are a Christian? Then you are blessed because the wonderful Spirit, the Spirit of God, is with you.

¹⁵ Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not do wrong. Do not try to boss other people. None of you should suffer because you have done these things.

¹⁶ But if a man suffers because he is a Christian, he should not be ashamed of it. He should praise God that he is a Christian.

¹⁷ The time has come for God to judge people. God's people will be judged first. If we are judged first, what will happen at the end to those who do not obey the good news of God?

¹⁸ The holy writings say, `If it is hard for a good person to be saved, what will happen to a person who is against God and lives a bad life?'

¹⁹ If God allows you to suffer, trust him. He made you and you can trust him. But keep on doing good things.