1 Peter 2
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speaking,
Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all backbiting,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that all of you may grow thereby:
like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow until you attain salvation –
3 If so be all of you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
since ‘you have found by experience that the Lord is kind.’
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God’s eyes choice and precious;
5 All of you also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by 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 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded.
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 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
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 stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, (logos) being disobedient: unto 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 all of you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, an exclusive people; that all of you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous 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 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which 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 Dearly beloved, I plead to you as strangers and pilgrims, 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 your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, 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 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be 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 unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
and to governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to commend those who do right.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing all of you may 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 As free, and not using your liberty for a coat of maliciousness, but as the servants 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 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Show honor to everyone, love the Lord’s followers, ‘revere God, honor the emperor.’
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the perverse.
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 this deserves giving of thanks, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
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 all of you be buffeted for your faults, all of you shall take it patiently? but if, when all of you do well, and suffer for it, all of you take it patiently, this is acceptable 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 even hereunto were all of you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that all of 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 did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
He ‘never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.’
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that 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 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes all of you were healed.
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 all of you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
