1 Peter 2

1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all backbiting,

2 as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,

like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow until you attain salvation –

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

since “you have found by experience that the Lord is kind.”

4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God’s eyes choice and 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.

and, as living stones, form yourselves into a spiritual house, to be a consecrated priesthood, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices that will be 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.”

For there is a passage of scripture that runs – “See, I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone; and those who believe in him will have no cause for shame.”

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,”

It is to you, then, who believe in him that he is precious, but to those who do not believe he is “a stone which, though rejected by the builders, has now itself become the corner-stone,”

8 and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

and “a stumbling-block, and a rock which will prove a hindrance.” They stumble because they do not accept the message. This was the fate destined for them.

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.

But you are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God’s own people,” entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful 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.

Once you were “not a people,” but now you are “God’s people”; once you “had not found mercy,” but now you “have found mercy.”

11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

Dear friends, I beg you, as pilgrims and strangers on earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war on 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.

Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evildoers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God “at the time when he will visit them.”

13 Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme,

Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,

14 or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

and to governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to commend those who do right.

15 For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

For God’s will is this – that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.

16 Live as free people, yet not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Act as free people, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God.

17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Show honour to everyone, love the Lord’s followers, “revere God, honour the emperor.”

18 Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

Those of you who are domestic servants should always be submissive and respectful to their masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are arbitrary.

19 For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

For this wins God’s approval when, because conscious of God’s presence, a person who is suffering unjustly bears their troubles patiently.

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.

What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God.

21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,

For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered – on your behalf – and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”

He “never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.”

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.

He was abused, but he did not answer with abuse; he suffered, but he did not threaten; he entrusted himself to him whose judgments are just.

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.

And he “himself carried our sins” in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. “His bruising was your healing.”

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

Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.