I Peter - 30 Instructions of How to Live a Life of Faith

1. GIRD UP THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND, BE SOBER, AND REST YOUR HOPE FULLY UPON THE GRACE THAT IS BROUGHT TO YOU

1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

2. DO NOT CONFORM YOURSELVES TO THE FORMER LUSTS

1: 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

3. BE HOLY IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT

1: 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

4. CONDUCT YOURSELVES THROUGHOUT THE TIME OF YOUR STAY HERE IN FEAR

1:17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your [f]stay here in fear;

5. LOVE ONE ANOTHER FERVENTLY WITH A PURE HEART

1:22-23 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth [i]through the Spirit in [j]sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of [k]corruptible seed but [l]incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides [m]forever,

6. LAY ASIDE ALL MALICE, ALL DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, ENVY, AND ALL EVIL SPEAKING

2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

7. DESIRE THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD

2:2-3 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow [a]thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

8. ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS

2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

9. HAVE YOUR CONDUCT HONORABLE AMONG THE GENTILES

2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

10. SUBMIT YOURSELF TO EVERY ORDINANCE OF MAN

2:13 Therefore submit yourselves to every [c]ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

11. HONOR ALL PEOPLE. LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD. FEAR GOD.

2:17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

12. SERVANTS, BE SUBMISSIVE TO YOUR MASTERS

2:18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

13. WIVES, BE SUBMISSIVE TO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS

3:1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

13. WIVES, DO NOT LET YOUR ADORNMENT BE MERELY OUTWARD BUT THE HIDDEN PERSON OF THE HEART

3:3-4 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

14. HUSBANDS, GIVE HONOR TO YOUR WIVES

3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

15. BE OF ONE MIND, HAVE COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER, LOVE AS BROTHERS, BE TENDERHEARTED, BE COURTEOUS

3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be[b]courteous;

16. DO NOT RETURN EVIL FOR EVIL, BUT ON THE CONTRARY BLESSING

3:9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

17. ALWAYS BE READY TO GIVE A DEFENSE TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS YOU A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU

3:15 But [d]sanctify [e]the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

18. ARM YOURSELVES WITH THE MIND OF CHRIST

4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered [a]for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

19. HAVE FERVENT LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER

4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

20. BE HOSPITABLE TO ONE ANOTHER

4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

21. MINISTER YOUR GIFTS TO ONE ANOTHER

4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

22. SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD, MINISTER WITH THE ABILITY WHICH GOD SUPPLIES

4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the [c]oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the [d]dominion forever and ever. Amen.

23. DO NOT BE SURPRISED AT THE FIERY TRIALS YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, BUT REJOICE

4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

24. LET NONE OF YOU SUFFER AS A MURDERER, A THIEF, AN EVILDOER, OR AS A BUSYBODY IN OTHER PEOPLE'S MATTERS.

4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a [g]busybody in other people’s matters.

25. COMMIT YOUR SOULS TO GOD IN DOING GOOD

4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

26. ELDERS, SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD, SERVING AS OVERSEERS, BEING EXAMPLES TO THE FLOCK

5:1-4 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but [a]willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being [b]lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

27. YOUNGER PEOPLE, SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO YOUR ELDERS

5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

28. HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, CAST ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM

5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

29. BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT

5:8 Be [c]sober, be [d]vigilant; [e]because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

30. RESIST THE DEVIL, BE STEADFAST IN THE FAITH

5:9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.