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A Living Stone and a Holy People

(A)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (B)Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual (C)milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have (D)tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone (E)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, (F)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as (G)a spiritual house, to be (H)a holy priesthood, (I)to offer spiritual sacrifices (J)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

(K)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
(L)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honour is for you who (M)believe, but for those who (N)do not believe,

(O)“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone”,[a]

and

(P)“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offence.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, (Q)as they were destined to do.

But you are (R)a chosen race, (S)a royal (T)priesthood, (U)a holy nation, (V)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you (W)out of darkness into (X)his marvellous light. 10 (Y)Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you (Z)as sojourners and exiles (AA)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, (AB)which wage war against your soul. 12 (AC)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, (AD)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on (AE)the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 (AF)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[b] whether it be to the emperor[c] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him (AG)to punish those who do evil and (AH)to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, (AI)that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 (AJ)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but (AK)living as servants[d] of God. 17 (AL)Honour everyone. (AM)Love the brotherhood. (AN)Fear God. Honour the emperor.

18 (AO)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, (AP)mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But (AQ)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For (AR)to this you have been called, (AS)because Christ also suffered for you, (AT)leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 (AU)He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 (AV)When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, (AW)but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 (AX)He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we (AY)might die to sin and (AZ)live to righteousness. (BA)By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For (BB)you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to (BC)the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner
  2. 1 Peter 2:13 Or every institution ordained for people
  3. 1 Peter 2:13 Or king; also verse 17
  4. 1 Peter 2:16 Greek bondservants

Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(G) and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built(H) into a spiritual house[a](I) to be a holy priesthood,(J) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(K) For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(L)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](M)

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(N)

“The stone the builders rejected(O)
    has become the cornerstone,”[c](P)

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d](Q)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(R)

But you are a chosen people,(S) a royal priesthood,(T) a holy nation,(U) God’s special possession,(V) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(W) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(X) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

11 Dear friends,(Y) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(Z) to abstain from sinful desires,(AA) which wage war against your soul.(AB) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(AC) and glorify God(AD) on the day he visits us.

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:(AE) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong(AF) and to commend those who do right.(AG) 15 For it is God’s will(AH) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.(AI) 16 Live as free people,(AJ) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(AK) live as God’s slaves.(AL) 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,(AM) fear God, honor the emperor.(AN)

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,(AO) not only to those who are good and considerate,(AP) but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.(AQ) 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.(AR) 21 To this(AS) you were called,(AT) because Christ suffered for you,(AU) leaving you an example,(AV) that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin,(AW)
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e](AX)

23 When they hurled their insults at him,(AY) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(AZ) Instead, he entrusted himself(BA) to him who judges justly.(BB) 24 “He himself bore our sins”(BC) in his body on the cross,(BD) so that we might die to sins(BE) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”(BF) 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f](BG) but now you have returned to the Shepherd(BH) and Overseer of your souls.(BI)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
  5. 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
  6. 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)