1 Peter 2

A Living Stone and a Holy People

1 aSo put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 bLike newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual cmilk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3if indeed you have dtasted that the Lord is good.

4As you come to him, a living stone erejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 fyou yourselves like living stones are being built up as ga spiritual house, to be ha holy priesthood, ito offer spiritual sacrifices jacceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in Scripture:

kBehold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
land whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7So the honor is for you who mbelieve, but for those who ndo not believe,

o“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
Greek  the head of the corner

8and

q“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, ras they were destined to do.

9But you are sa chosen race, ta royal upriesthood, va holy nation, wa people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you xout of darkness into yhis marvelous light. 10 zOnce you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11Beloved, I urge you aaas sojourners and exiles abto abstain from the passions of the flesh, acwhich wage war against your soul. 12 adKeep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, aethey may see your good deeds and glorify God on afthe day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 agBe subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,
Or  every institution ordained for people
whether it be to the emperor
Or king; also verse 17
as supreme,
14or to governors as sent by him ajto punish those who do evil and akto praise those who do good. 15For this is the will of God, althat by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 amLive as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but anliving as servants
Greek bondservants
of God.
17 apHonor everyone. aqLove the brotherhood. arFear God. Honor the emperor.

18 asServants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19For this is a gracious thing, when, atmindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But auif when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21For avto this you have been called, awbecause Christ also suffered for you, axleaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 ayHe committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 azWhen he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, babut continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 bbHe himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we bcmight die to sin and bdlive to righteousness. beBy his wounds you have been healed. 25For bfyou were straying like sheep, but have now returned to bgthe Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

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