1 Peter 1:19–2:13

19 but with precious ablood, as of a blamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

20 For He was aforeknown before bthe foundation of the world, but has cappeared 1in these last times dfor the sake of you

21 who through Him are abelievers in God, who raised Him from the dead and bgave Him glory, so that your faith and chope are in God.

22 Since you have ain obedience to the truth bpurified your souls for a 1csincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from 2the heart,

23 for you have been aborn again bnot of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring cword of God.

24 For,

“aAll flesh is like grass,

And all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

And the flower falls off,

25 aBut the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is bthe word which was 1preached to you.

Chapter 2

As Newborn Babes

1 Therefore, aputting aside all 1malice and all deceit and 2hypocrisy and 2envy and all 2bslander,

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

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

As Living Stones

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

5 ayou 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.

6 For this is contained in 1Scripture:

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

And he who believes in 2Him will not be 3disappointed.”

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

“bThe stone which the builders crejected,

This became the very corner stone,”

8 and,

“aA stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

bfor they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, cand to this doom they were also appointed.

9 But you are aa chosen race, 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;

10 afor 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.

11 aBeloved, bI urge you as caliens and strangers to abstain from dfleshly lusts which wage ewar against the soul.

12 aKeep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they bslander you as evildoers, they may 1because of your good deeds, as they observe them, cglorify God din the day of 2visitation.

Honor Authority

13 aSubmit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,