For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good–whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit).
Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with Almighty Yahuwah, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]
For the eyes of the Master are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Almighty Yahuwah), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Master is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them]. [Psa_34:12-16]
Now who is there to hurt you if you are zealous followers of that which is good?
But even in case you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed (happy, to be envied). Do not dread or be afraid of their threats, nor be disturbed [by their opposition].
But in your hearts set Yahushua Messiah apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Master. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. [Isa_8:12-13]
[And see to it that] your conscience is entirely clear (unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Yahushua Messiah may come to be ashamed [of slandering your good lives].
For [it is] better to suffer [unjustly] for doing right, if that should be Almighty Yahuwah’s will, than to suffer [justly] for doing wrong.
For Yahushua [the Messiah Himself] died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous (the Just for the unjust, the Innocent for the guilty), that He might bring us to Almighty Yahuwah. In His human body He was put to death, but He was made alive in the spirit,
In which He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
[The souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when Almighty Yahuwah’s patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water. [Genesis 6-8]
And baptism, which is a figure [of their deliverance], does now also save you [from inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of outward body filth [bathing], but by [providing you with] the answer of a good and clear conscience (inward cleanness and peace) before Almighty Yahuwah [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Yahushua Messiah.
