18

Servants, take orders from your masters with all respect not only if they are good and gentle, but even if they are bad-humoured.

19

For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done.

20

What credit is it if, when you have done evil, you take your punishment quietly? but if you are given punishment for doing right, and take it quietly, this is pleasing to God.

21

This is God's purpose for you: because Jesus himself underwent punishment for you, giving you an example, so that you might go in his footsteps:

22

Who did no evil, and there was no deceit in his mouth:

23

To sharp words he gave no sharp answer when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:

24

He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well.

25

Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.