2
1 Putting away therefore
all wickedness,
all deceit,
hypocrisies, envies,
and all
evil speaking,
2 as newborn
babies, long for
the pure spiritual
milk, that with
it you may grow,
3 if indeed
you have tasted
that the Lord
is gracious.
4 Come
to him, a
living stone, rejected
indeed by men,
but chosen by
God, precious.
5 You
also as living
stones are built
up as a
spiritual house,
to be a holy
priesthood, to offer
up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable
to God through
Jesus Christ.
6 Because
it is contained
in Scripture,
“Behold,
I lay in
Zion a
chief cornerstone, chosen
and precious.
He who believes
in him will
not be
disappointed.”
7 For
you who believe
therefore is the
honor, but for
those who
are disobedient,
“The stone which
the builders rejected
has become the
chief cornerstone,”
8 and,
“a stumbling
stone and a
rock of
offense.”
For they stumble
at the word,
being disobedient, to
which also they
were appointed.
9 But
you are a
chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a
people for God’s
own possession, that
you may proclaim
the excellence of
him who called
you out of
darkness into his
marvelous light.
10 In
the past, you
were not a
people, but now
are God’s people,
who had not
obtained mercy,
but now have
obtained mercy.
11 Beloved, I
beg you as
foreigners and
pilgrims to abstain
from fleshly lusts
which war against
the soul,
12 having
good behavior
among the nations,
so in that
of which they
speak against you
as evildoers, they
may see your good
works and glorify
God in the
day of visitation.
13 Therefore
subject yourselves
to every ordinance
of man for
the Lord’s
sake: whether to
the king, as
supreme,
14 or
to governors, as
sent by him
for vengeance on
evildoers and for
praise to those
who do well.
15 For
this is the
will of God,
that by well-doing
you should put
to silence
the ignorance of foolish
men.
16 Live
as free people,
yet not using
your freedom for
a cloak of
wickedness, but
as bondservants of
God.
17 Honor
all men. Love
the brotherhood. Fear
God. Honor the
king.
18 Servants,
be in subjection
to your masters
with all respect,
not only to
the good and
gentle, but also
to the wicked.
19 For
it is commendable
if someone endures
pain, suffering unjustly,
because of
conscience toward
God.
20 For
what glory is
it if, when
you sin, you
patiently endure beating?
But if when
you do well,
you patiently
endure suffering,
this is commendable
with God.
21 For
you were called
to this, because
Christ also
suffered for us,
leaving you
an example, that
you should follow
his steps,
22 who didn’t
sin, “neither was
deceit found in
his mouth.”
23 When
he was cursed,
he didn’t curse back.
When he suffered,
he didn’t threaten,
but committed himself
to him who
judges righteously.
24 He himself
bore our sins in
his body on
the tree, that
we, having died
to sins, might
live to
righteousness. You
were healed by
his wounds.
25 For
you were going
astray like sheep;
but now you
have returned to
the Shepherd and
Overseer
of your souls.