1 Peter 2

1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow,

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,

5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

7 To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

12 Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

13 Therefore submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,

14 or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

16 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

17 Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

18 Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.

19 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.

20 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:

22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”

23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 ¶ Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.

4 ¶ To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, [even to them] which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

10 Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 ¶ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 As free, and not using [your] liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory [is it], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Put away therefore all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all speaking evil;

2 And be greedy for the sensible milk, as the little children that are now born, that ye may increase by the same,

3 If ye have tasted otherwise, that the Lord is good,

4 To whom ye are come as unto the living stone, which is rejected of men, but with God is chosen and precious.

5 And ye also, as the living stones, build yourselves up into a spiritual house, and into a holy priesthood, to offer sacrifices acceptable unto God through JESUS Christ.

6 Therefore it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a choice and precious corner stone; and whosoever believeth in him shall not be put to shame.

7 To you therefore which believe it is precious; but to them which believe not it is the stone which the builders rejected, and became the corner stone,

8 A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, which stumble at the word, and believe not in it, whereon they are set.

9 But ye are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the people of the possession, that ye should shew forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,

10 Who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God; and formerly were not in grace, but are now in grace.

11 Brethren, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,

12 And do good among the heathen, that they which speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may see your good works, and glorify God, when it shall come to pass.

13 Be subject unto all manner of men for the LORD'S sake, even to the king, as to the ruler,

14 or the captains, as the messengers from him for vengeance on the evildoers, and for 'praise to the pious.

15 For this is the will of God, that ye should stop up the ignorance of foolish men with well- doing,

16 as the free, and not as having liberty to the cover of wickedness, but as the servants of GOD.

17 Do honour to everyone. Love your brothers! Fear God! Honor the king!

18 Ye servants, be subject unto the lords with all fear, not only to the kind and gentle, but also to the whimsical.

19 For this is grace, if a man for conscience' sake endure evil unto God, and suffer iniquity.

20 For what glory is this, if ye suffer strokes for iniquity? But if you suffer and endure for the sake of good, that is grace with God.

21 For to this end were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in his footsteps;

22 Who hath committed no sin, neither is any deceit found in his mouth;

23 Who reproved not when he was reproached, neither grieved when he suffered; but reproved him that judgeth aright;

24 Who himself offered up our sins in his body upon the wood, that we, having died to sin, might live unto righteousness: by whose wounds ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray: but now are ye converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.]