1 Peter 2:1–25
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.