Suffering Refines Faith Like Fire Refines Gold

1. The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2. Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath; and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3. These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. The name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. 4. Penuel was the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. 5. Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6. Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7. The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8. Hakkoz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. 9. Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.” 10. Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested. 11. Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12. Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah. 13. The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath. 14. Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim; for they were craftsmen. 15. The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz. 16. The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17. The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18. His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took. 19. The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20. The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth. 21. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; 22. and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. These records are ancient. 23. These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: they lived there with the king for his work. 24. The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; 25. Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, and Mishma his son. 26. The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. 27. Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers didn’t have many children, and all their family did not multiply like the children of Judah. 28. They lived at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual, 29. at Bilhah, at Ezem, at Tolad, 30. at Bethuel, at Hormah, at Ziklag, 31. at Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until David’s reign. 32. Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities; 33. and all their villages that were around the same cities, to Baal. These were their settlements, and they have their genealogy. 34. Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah, 35. Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36. Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37. and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah— 38. these mentioned by name were princes in their families. Their fathers’ houses increased greatly. 39. They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. 40. They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceful; for those who lived there before were descended from Ham. 41. These written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and struck their tents. The Meunim who were found there, and they destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place; because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42. Some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 43. They struck the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day. 1. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be listed according to the birthright. 2. For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and from him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s)— 3. the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4. The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5. Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6. and Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive. He was prince of the Reubenites. 7. His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was listed: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8. and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon; 9. and he lived eastward even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10. In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead. 11. The sons of Gad lived over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salecah: 12. Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13. Their brothers of their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven. 14. These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15. Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses. 16. They lived in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders. 17. All these were listed by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. 18. The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty, that were able to go out to war. 19. They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab. 20. They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he answered them, because they put their trust in him. 21. They took away their livestock; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand. 22. For many fell slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity. 23. The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24. These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses. 25. They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day. 1. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 3. The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 4. Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua, 5. Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi. 6. Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth. 7. Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 8. Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz. 9. Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan. 10. Johanan became the father of Azariah, who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem. 11. Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 12. Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum. 13. Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah. 14. Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak. 15. Jehozadak went into captivity, when Yahweh carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. 16. The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. 17. These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. 18. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. 20. Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, 21. Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son. 22. The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, 23. Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, 24. Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. 25. The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth. 26. As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, Nahath his son, 27. Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son. 28. The sons of Samuel: the firstborn, Joel, and the second, Abijah. 29. The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30. Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son. 31. These are they whom David set over the service of song in Yahweh’s house, after the ark came to rest there. 32. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built Yahweh’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order. 33. These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34. the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35. the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36. the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37. the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38. the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. 39. His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, 40. the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41. the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42. the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43. the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. 44. On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 45. the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46. the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, 47. the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 48. Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house. 49. But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 50. These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 51. Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, 52. Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 53. Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son. 54. Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot), 55. to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it; 56. but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57. To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its suburbs, 58. Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs, 59. Ashan with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs; 60. and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. 61. To the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. 62. To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. 63. To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 64. The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their suburbs. 65. They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name. 66. Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim. 67. They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs, 68. Jokmeam with its suburbs, Beth Horon with its suburbs, 69. Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; 70. and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath. 71. To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, and Ashtaroth with its suburbs; 72. and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs, 73. Ramoth with its suburbs, and Anem with its suburbs; 74. and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs, 75. Hukok with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; 76. and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, Hammon with its suburbs, and Kiriathaim with its suburbs. 77. To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its suburbs, Tabor with its suburbs; 78. and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its suburbs, and Jahzah with its suburbs, 79. Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; 80. and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, Mahanaim with its suburbs, 81. Heshbon with its suburbs, and Jazer with its suburbs.

1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5. who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7. that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 8. whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory— 9. receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11. searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them. 12. To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. 13. Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 14. as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15. but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 16. because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.” 17. If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18. knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19. but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ; 20. who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake, 21. who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. 22. Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23. having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever. 24. For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; 25. but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you. 1. Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking, 2. as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow, 3. if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4. coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. 5. You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6. Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.” 7. For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,” 8. and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. 9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10. who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11. Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12. having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13. Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14. or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well. 15. For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16. as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 18. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked. 19. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. 20. For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God. 21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, 22. who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” 23. Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. 24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 25. For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1. In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word; 2. seeing your pure behavior in fear. 3. Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing; 4. but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious. 5. For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: 6. as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror. 7. You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered. 8. Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous, 9. not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing. 10. For, “He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. 11. Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13. Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good? 14. But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear: 16. having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17. For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18. Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19. in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20. who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21. This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22. who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him. 1. Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 2. that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3. For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4. They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming: 5. who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6. For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit. 7. But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. 8. And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10. As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. 11. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 12. Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13. But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. 15. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters. 16. But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter. 17. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God? 18. “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?” 19. Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator. 1. Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed. 2. Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly; 3. neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. 4. When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away. 5. Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7. casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. 8. Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9. Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. 10. But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 12. Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son. 14. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1. Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars. 2. She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table. 3. She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city: 4. “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him, 5. “Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed! 6. Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.” 7. He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. 8. Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9. Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10. The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11. For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased. 12. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it. 13. The foolish woman is loud, undisciplined, and knows nothing. 14. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15. To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways, 16. “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him, 17. “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18. But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.