002:011 Dear friends, I entreat you as pilgrims and foreigners not to indulge the cravings of your lower natures: for all such cravings wage war upon the soul.
002:012 Live honourable lives among the Gentiles, in order that, although they now speak against you as evil-doers, they may yet witness your good conduct, and may glorify God on the day of reward and retribution.
002:013 Submit, for the Lord's sake, to every authority set up by man,
whether it be to the Emperor as supreme ruler,
002:014 or to provincial Governors as sent by him for the punishment
of evil-doers and the encouragement of those who do what is right.
002:015 For it is God's will that by doing what is right you should
thus silence the ignorant talk of foolish persons.
002:016 Be free men, and yet do not make your freedom an excuse
for base conduct, but be God's bondservants.
002:017 Honour every one. Love the brotherhood, fear God,
honour the Emperor.
002:018 Household servants, be submissive to your masters, and show them the utmost respect—not only if they are kind and thoughtful, but also if they are unreasonable.
002:019 For it is an acceptable thing with God, if, from a sense of duty to Him, a man patiently submits to wrong, when treated unjustly.
002:020 If you do wrong and receive a blow for it, what credit is there in your bearing it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you bear it patiently, this is an acceptable thing with God.