1 Peter 2:1–17

As Living Stones, God’s Chosen Family

¹Therefore, ^alaying aside all ¹malice and all deceit and ²hypocrisy and ³envy and all ^4bslander,

^2alike newborn babies, long for the ^1bpure ²milk of the word, so that by it you may ^cgrow ³in respect to salvation,

³if you have ^atasted ^1bthe kindness of the ²Lord.

⁴And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^arejected by men, but is ¹choice and precious in the sight of God,

^5ayou also, as living stones, ¹are being built up as a ^bspiritual house for a holy ^cpriesthood, to ^doffer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶For this is contained in ¹Scripture:

“^aBehold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a ^bprecious corner stone,

And he who believes upon ²Him will not be put to shame.”

^7aThis precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“^bThe stone which the builders ^crejected,

This has become the chief corner stone,”

⁸and,

“^aA stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”

^bThey stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^cand to this stumbling they were also appointed.

⁹But you are ^aa chosen family, a royal ^bpriesthood, a ^choly nation, ^da people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^eout of darkness into His marvelous light;

^10afor you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

^11aBeloved, ^bI urge you as ^csojourners and exiles to abstain from ^dfleshly lusts which wage ^ewar against the soul,

^12aby keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they ^bslander you as evildoers, they may ¹because of your good works, as they observe them, ^cglorify God ^din the day of ²visitation.

Be Subject to Authority

^13aBe subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

¹⁴or to governors as sent ¹by him ^afor the punishment of evildoers and the ^bpraise of those who do good.

¹⁵For ^1asuch is the will of God that by doing good you may ^bsilence the ignorance of foolish men.

¹⁶Act as ^afree people, and ¹do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^bslaves of God.

^17aHonor all people, ^blove the ¹brethren, ^cfear God, ^dhonor the ²king.