1 Peter 2
1 Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all backbiting,
Putting away, therefore, all vice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envyings and all detractions,
2 like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow until you attain salvation –
As new-born babes, for the pure milk that is for the mind, eagerly crave, that, thereby, ye may grow unto salvation: —
3 since ‘you have found by experience that the Lord is kind.’
If ye have tasted for yourselves that, gracious, is the Lord, —
4 Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God’s eyes choice and precious;
Unto whom coming near, as unto a living stone—by men, indeed, rejected, but, with God, chosen, held in honour,
5 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.
Yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, well-pleasing unto God through Jesus Christ;
6 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.’
Inasmuch as it is contained in scripture—Lo! I lay in Zion an outmost corner stone, chosen, held in honour, and, he that resteth faith thereupon, shall not be put to shame.
7 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,’
Unto you, then, is the honour—[unto you] who believe; but, unto such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, —The same, hath become head of the corner,
8 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.
And a stone to strike against, and a rock to stumble over: Who stumble because, unto the word, they do not yield, —unto which also they have been appointed;
9 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.
But, ye, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a peculiar treasure, that, the excellences, ye may tell forth, of him who, out of darkness, hath called you into his marvellous light: —
10 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.’
Who, at one time, were a No-people, but, now, are a people of God, —who had not been enjoying mercy, but, now, have received mercy.
11 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.
Beloved! I exhort you, as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly covetings, such as take the field against the soul;
12 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.’
Having, your behaviour among the nations, honourable, —in order that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, owing to the honourable works they are permitted to behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit to all human institutions for the Lord’s sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,
Submit yourselves unto every human creation, for the Lord’s sake, —whether unto a king, as one that protecteth,
14 and to governors as sent by him to punish evildoers and to commend those who do right.
Or unto governors, as, through him, sent—for vengeance on evil-doers, but praise to such as do good;
15 For God’s will is this – that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.
Because, so, is the will of God, —by doing good, to be putting to silence, the ignorance of heedless men:
16 Act as free people, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God.
As free, yet, not as a cloak of vice, holding your freedom, but, as God’s servants.
17 Show honor to everyone, love the Lord’s followers, ‘revere God, honor the emperor.’
Unto all men, give honour, unto the brotherhood, shew love, unto God, give reverence, the king, hold in honour.
18 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.
Ye domestics, submitting yourselves, in all reverence, unto your masters, —not only unto the good and considerate, but also unto the perverse;
19 For this wins God’s approval when, because conscious of God’s presence, a person who is suffering unjustly bears their troubles patiently.
For, this, is thankworthy, —If, for the sake of conscience towards God, one beareth griefs, suffering wrongfully, —
20 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.
For what sort of honour is it—if, committing sin, and being buffeted, ye endure it? But, if, doing good, and suffering, ye endure it, this, is thankworthy with God.
21 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.
For, hereunto, have ye been called; because, Christ also, suffered in your behalf, unto you, leaving behind a pattern, that ye might follow in his steps:
22 He ‘never sinned, nor was anything deceitful ever heard from his lips.’
Who did not, a sin, commit, neither was deceit found in his mouth, —
23 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.
Who, being reviled, was not reviling again, suffering, he was not threatening, but was making surrender unto him that judgeth righteously, —
24 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.’
Who, our sins, himself, bare up, in his body, unto the tree, in order that we, from our sins getting away, in righteousness, might live, —by whose stripes, ye have been healed;
25 Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
For ye were as sheep going astray, but have now turned back unto the shepherd and overseer of your souls.
