Being born again into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ gives us hope.  That hope grows as we live in Christ.

With this lesson we begin the next section of 1 Peter, "Hope through Living in Christ", which teaches many practical ways to grow our hope and relationship in Jesus Christ.

Read the study text slowly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully from your own Bible and the Study Text provided on this web page.

You may also find reading from other translations helpful, such as these on the Blue Letter Bible website:

• Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

• New Living Translation (NLT)

Which line or lines in the translation on this web page express the main idea of this paragraph?

11 Beloved, I strongly urge you

as temporary, foreign residents,

keep away from worldly desires;

they wage war against the soul. 

12 Keep your conduct honorable among non-believers,

so that when they accuse you of doing wrong,

they observe your honorable behavior,

and glorify God when he judges the world. 

Pastor, teacher and author John Piper has produced some videos that help people dig into various passages.  The videos are called, "Look at the Book Labs".  He produced three that cover our study passage, 1 Peter 2:11-12.

Click on the title of each video to watch them (9-14 minutes each; don't forget to take notes so you can share your thoughts and questions when we gather together):

1. Your Old Passions War Against You
   (1 Peter 2:11–12, Part 1)

2. Silence the World with Good Deeds
   (1 Peter 2:11–12, Part 2)

3. Will Others Worship God Because of You?
   (1 Peter 2:11–12, Part 3)

• (More labs on other passages and topics are available HERE.)

What do believers in Jesus today have in common with the believers Peter wrote to back then?

What does God want or not want us to know, feel, think, say or do?

How can we participate with God according to this study passage? (Click HERE for ways that can help you respond to God's word.)

How will this passage grow your hope and faith in Jesus Christ?