“Always Be Prepared to Give Our Answer for Our Hope in Christ 要常常作好準備，去回答我們在基督裡的盼望“（1 Peter 彼得前書 3:13-17）
… But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. … But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
… 就算你們要為義受苦，也是有福的。… 只要心裡尊基督為聖，以他為主；常常作好準備，去回答那些問你們為什麼懷有盼望的人，但要用溫柔敬畏的心回答。當存無愧的良心，使那些誣賴你們這在基督裡有好品行的人，在毀謗你們的事上蒙羞。如果神的旨意是要你們受苦，那麼為行善受苦，總比為行惡受苦好。
Although people often repaid good with a response of evil, Christians should always answer evil with good. God will care for us, especially when we suffer unjustly. Instead of shrinking back from doing good, we should give a special place (sanctify) to God in our hearts, and always be ready to explain our faith (our hope in Christ), always doing it with a right attitude (with gentleness and respect). When our good is returned with evil, our good conduct will prove others wrong in their opinions about us and it will make them ashamed for speaking against our godly lives.
雖然人們往往以惡報善，基督徒理應以德報怨。神必看顧我們，特別是當我們受不義之苦時。我們在自己心裡理應給神一個特殊位置（尊神為聖）代替行善上畏縮不前，總是以端正的態度（帶著溫柔和尊敬），隨時準備好去闡明我們的信仰（我們在基督裡的盼望）。當邪惡回報我們的良善時，我們的好品行必證明別人對我們的看法是錯誤的，也必使他們因毀謗我們敬虔的生命而自覺羞愧。
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, none of us want to suffer. However, we might not be aware that sometimes we could be obnoxious and offensive being made to suffer for it. We thought that it would be persecution for the gospel’s sake but in fact it was simply suffering for doing evil which we refused to admit. Thank you for encouraging us that if some suffering would be inevitable, may it be for doing good and not for doing evil. Amen.
禱告: 親愛的主耶穌，我們沒有人想要受苦難。然而，我們或許不察覺得到，有時候我們可以是令人討厭和冒犯人的，為此以致受苦。我們以為這會是為福音之緣故的逼迫，而事實上我們卻拒絕承認，它只不過是行惡的受苦。感謝你鼓勵我們，如果有些受苦會是無可避免的，願它是為行善受苦，而不是為行惡受苦。阿們。
