English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
18
You who are servants, be good servants to your masters - not just to good masters, but also to bad ones.
19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
19
What counts is that you put up with it for God's sake when you're treated badly for no good reason.
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
20
There's no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you're treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
21
This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
22
He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
23
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.