1 Peter 2
A Living Stone and a Holy People
1 j So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 k Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual l milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - 3 if indeed you have m tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone n rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 o you yourselves like living stones are being built up as p a spiritual house, to be q a holy priesthood, r to offer spiritual sacrifices s acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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For it stands in Scripture: t "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
u and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame"
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So the honor is for you who v believe, but for those who v do not believe, w "The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone," 1
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and x "A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense"
They stumble because they disobey the word, y as they were destined to do.
9 But you are z a chosen race, a a royal b priesthood, c a holy nation, d a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you e out of darkness into f his marvelous light. 10 g 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 h as sojourners and exiles i to abstain from the passions of the flesh, j which wage war against your soul. 12 k Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, l they may see your good deeds and glorify God on m the day of visitation.
Submission to Authority
13 n Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, 2 whether it be to the emperor 3 as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him o to punish those who do evil and p to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, q that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 r Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but s living as servants 4 of God. 17 t Honor everyone. u Love the brotherhood. v Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 w 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, x 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 y if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For z to this you have been called, y because Christ also suffered for you, a leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 b He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 c When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, d but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 e He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we f might die to sin and g live to righteousness. h By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For i you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to j the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.