1 Peter 2:1–5:14
2 Therefore, alaying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 bas newborn babes, desire the pure cmilk of the word, that you may grow 1thereby, 3 if indeed you have dtasted that the Lord is gracious.
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, erejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
f“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who 2are disobedient,
g“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
h“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
iThey stumble, being disobedient to the word, jto which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of kdarkness into His marvelous light; 10 lwho once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts mwhich war against the soul, 12 nhaving your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, othey may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 pTherefore submit yourselves to every 3ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—16 qas free, yet not rusing liberty as a cloak for 4vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear sGod. Honor the king.
18 tServants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is ucommendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For vwhat credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For wto this you were called, because Christ also suffered for 5us, xleaving 6us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “Who ycommitted no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 zwho, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but acommitted Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 bwho Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, cthat we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—dby whose 7stripes you were healed. 25 For eyou were like sheep going astray, but have now returned fto the Shepherd and 8Overseer of your souls.
3 Wives, likewise, be asubmissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, bthey, without a word, may cbe won by the conduct of their wives, 2 dwhen they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 eDo not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—4 rather let it be fthe hidden person of the heart, with the 1incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, gcalling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
7 hHusbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, ias to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, jthat your prayers may not be hindered.
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be 2courteous; 9 knot returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary lblessing, knowing that you were called to this, mthat you may inherit a blessing. 10 For
n“He who would love life
And see good days,
oLet him 3refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him pturn away from evil and do good;
qLet him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
rAnd His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 sAnd who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 tBut even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. u“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But 4sanctify 5the Lord God in your hearts, and always vbe ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the whope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 xhaving a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring 6us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, 7when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 yThere is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism z(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, abut the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and bis at the right hand of God, cangels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered 1for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, abut for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past 2lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready bto judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason cthe gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but dlive according to God in the spirit.
7 But ethe end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for f“love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 gBe hospitable to one another hwithout grumbling. 10 iAs each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, jas good stewards of kthe manifold grace of God. 11 lIf anyone speaks, let him speak as the 3oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that min all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the 4dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice nto the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that owhen His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are 5reproached for the name of Christ, pblessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 6On their part He is blasphemed, qbut on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a 7busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this 8matter.
17 For the time has come rfor judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, swhat will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now
t“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God ucommit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a awitness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the bglory that will be revealed: 2 cShepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, dnot by compulsion but 1willingly, enot for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as fbeing 2lords over gthose entrusted to you, but hbeing examples to the flock; 4 and when ithe Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive jthe crown of glory that does not fade away.
Submit to God, Resist the Devil
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, kall of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
l“God resists the proud,
But mgives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be 3sober, be 4vigilant; 5because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But 6may the God of all grace, nwho called 7us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, …