But even if you suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid with fear from them, nor be troubled,

But  ¹sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, being always ready for a defense to everyone who asks of you an account concerning the  ²hope which is in you,

Yet with meekness and  ¹fear, having a good  ²conscience, so that in the matter in which you are spoken against, those who revile your good manner of life  ³in Christ may be put to shame.

For it is better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

For Christ also has suffered once for  ¹sins, the Righteous  ²on behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, on the one hand being put to death in the flesh, but on the other, made alive in the  ³Spirit;

In  ¹which also He went and  ²proclaimed to the  ³spirits in  ⁴prison,

 ¹Who had formerly disobeyed when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared; entering into which, a few, that is, eight souls, were  ²brought safely through  ³by water.

 ¹Which water, as the antitype, also now saves you, that is,  ²baptism,  ³not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but the  ⁴appeal of a good conscience unto God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

 ¹Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to Him.

Since Christ therefore has suffered in the flesh, you also  ²arm yourselves with the  ³same mind (because he who has  ⁴suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin),

 ¹No longer to live the rest of the time in the flesh in the lusts of men, but in the will of God.

For the time which has passed is sufficient for you to have carried out the  ¹desire of the Gentiles, having gone on  ²in licentiousness, lusts, debaucheries, carousings, drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries.

In this they think it  ¹strange that you are not  ²running together with them into the same  ³flood of dissoluteness,  ⁴slandering you;

 ¹Who will  ²render an account to Him who is ready to  ³judge the living and the dead.

For unto this end the gospel was announced also to  ¹those who are now dead, that they might be  ²judged in the flesh according to men but live in the  ³spirit according to God.

But the  ¹end of all things has drawn near. Therefore  ²be sober-minded and  ³be sober unto prayers.

Above all, have fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without murmuring,

Each one, as he has received a gift,  ¹ministering it among yourselves as good stewards of the  ²varied grace of God.

If anyone speaks, as speaking  ¹oracles of God; if anyone ministers, as ministering out of the strength which God  ²supplies; that in all things God may be glorified  ³through Jesus Christ, to whom is the  ⁴glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, do not think that the  ¹fiery ordeal among you, coming to you for a  ²trial, is  ³strange, as if it were a  ³strange thing happening to you;

But inasmuch as you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice exultingly.

If you are reproached in the  ¹name of Christ, you are blessed, because  ²the Spirit of glory and of God  ³rests upon you.

For let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a  ¹meddler into others' affairs;

But if as a  ¹Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him  ²glorify God in this name.

For it is time for the  ¹judgment to begin from the  ²house of God; and if first from us,  ³what will be the end of those who  ⁴disobey the gospel of God?

And if the  ¹righteous man is  ²saved only with difficulty, where will the ungodly and the sinner  ³appear?

So then let those  ¹also who suffer according to the  ²will of God  ³commit their  ⁴souls in  ⁵well-doing to a faithful  ⁶Creator.

And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of Jehovah.

Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Because the enemy has said against you, Aha! Even the ancient high places have become our possession!

Therefore prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Because, even because, they have desolated and crushed you from every side so that you might become the possession of the remnant of the nations, and you have been taken up in the talk of different tongues and in the whispering of people;

Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Jehovah. Thus says the Lord Jehovah to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the forsaken cities, which have become plunder and a mocking to the remnant of the nations which are all around;

Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah, Surely in the fire of My jealousy I have spoken against the remnant of the nations and against Edom, all of whom have appointed My land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despising in their soul, for their pasture and plunder.

Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Indeed I am speaking in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have borne the disgrace of the nations.

Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah, I swear, saying, Surely the nations that surround you will bear their own disgrace.

But you, O  ¹mountains of Israel, you will shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit for My people Israel, for their coming is near.

For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be tilled and sown;

And I will multiply people upon you, the entire house of Israel, all of it! The cities will also be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt.

I will also multiply upon you man and beast, and they will increase and be fruitful, and I will make you inhabited as you were formerly, and I will make it better for you than when you began. Then you will know that I am Jehovah.

Yes, I will cause men to walk upon you, My people Israel; and they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will no longer bereave them of children again.

Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Because they are saying of you, You are a land that devours men and bereaves your nation of children;

Therefore you will no longer devour men or any longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Lord Jehovah.

And I will no longer let you hear the disgrace of the nations nor any longer bear the reproach of the peoples, and you will no longer cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord Jehovah.

Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their way and by their doings; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.

Therefore I poured out My wrath upon them because of the blood which they had poured out upon the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.

And I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. According to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

And when they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, inasmuch as it was said of them, These are the people of Jehovah, and they have gone forth out of His land.

But I had regard for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Jehovah, I am not doing this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for  ¹My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.

And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations will know that I am Jehovah, declares the Lord Jehovah, when I am sanctified in you in their sight.

And I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

And I will sprinkle  ¹clean water upon you, and you will be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

I will also give you a  ¹new heart, and a  ¹new spirit I will put within you; and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put  ¹My Spirit within you and cause you to  ²walk in My statutes, and My ordinances you shall keep and do.

And you shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers; and you will be My people, and I will be your God.

And I will save you from all your uncleanness, and I will summon the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.

And I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field, that you may no longer receive the reproach of famine among the nations.

Then you will remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

It is not for your sake that I am doing this, declares the Lord Jehovah; let it be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated on account of your ways, O house of Israel.

Thus says the Lord Jehovah, On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt.

And the land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being desolate in the sight of all who passed by.

And they will say, This land that was desolate has become like the  ¹garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.

Then the nations that are left all around you will know that I, Jehovah, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, Jehovah, have spoken, and I will do it.

Thus says the Lord Jehovah, Moreover for this I will be  ¹inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

Like the holy flock for sacrifices, like the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so will the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they will know that I am Jehovah.