₁₂My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. ₁₃Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed. ₁₄Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

₆Humble yourselves, then, under God's mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time. ₇Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.

₈Be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. ₉Be firm in your faith and resist him, because you know that your fellow-believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings. ₁₀But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. ₁₁To him be the power for ever! Amen.