1 Peter 2
1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
Therefore put aside all evil, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
As newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk, so that through it you may grow in salvation,
3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
if you have tasted that the Lord is kind.
4 As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,
Come to him who is a living stone that has been rejected by people, but that has been chosen by God as valuable to him.
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
You also are like living stones that are being built up to be a spiritual house, in order to be a holy priesthood that offers the 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.”
Scripture contains this: “See, I am laying in Zion a cornerstone, chosen and valuable. Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed.”
7 To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
The honor then is for you who believe. But, “the stone that was rejected by the builders, this has become the head of the corner”—
8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word—which is what they were appointed to do.
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.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's possession, so that you would announce the wonderful actions of the one who called you out from 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.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You did not receive 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.
Beloved, I call on you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from fleshly desires, which make 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.
You should have good behavior among the Gentiles, so that, if they speak about you as having done evil things, they may observe your good works and praise God on the day of his coming.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
Obey every human authority for the Lord's sake. Obey both the king as supreme,
14 or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
and also the governors, who are sent to punish evildoers and to praise those who do good.
15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
For this is God's will, that in doing good you silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
16 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
As free people, do not use your freedom as a covering for wickedness, but be like servants of God.
17 Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. 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.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect. Be subject not only to the good and gentle masters, but also to the malicious ones.
19 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.
For it is praiseworthy if anyone endures pain while suffering injustice because of his awareness of God.
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.
For how much credit is there if you sin and then endure while being punished? But if you have done good and then you suffer while being punished, this is worthy of praise from God.
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
For it is to this that you were called, because Christ also suffered for you. He left an example for you to follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
“He committed no sin, neither was any deceit 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.
When he was reviled, he did not revile back. When he suffered, he did not threaten back, but he gave himself to the one 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.”
He himself carried our sins in his body to the tree, so that we would have no more part in sin, and so that we would live for righteousness. By his bruises you have been healed.
25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
All of you had been wandering away like lost sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
