1 Peter 2–5

Chapter 2

As Newborn Babes

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

^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 Lord.

As Living Stones

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 in ²Him will not be ³disappointed.”

^7aThis 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,”

⁸and,

“^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.

⁹But 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;

^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 ^caliens and strangers to abstain from ^dfleshly lusts which wage ^ewar against the soul.

^12aKeep 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

^13aSubmit yourselves for the Lord’s sake 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 right.

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

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

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

^18aServants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^bgentle, but also to those who are ¹unreasonable.

¹⁹For this finds ¹favor, if for the sake of ^aconscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

²⁰For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^awhen you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds ¹favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹For ^ayou have been called for this purpose, ^bsince Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^can example for you to follow in His steps,

²²who ^acommitted no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;

²³¹and while being ^areviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

²⁴and He Himself ^1abore our sins in His body on the ^2bcross, so that we ^cmight die to ³sin and live to righteousness; for ^dby His ⁴wounds you were ^ehealed.

²⁵For you were ^acontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^bShepherd and ¹Guardian of your souls.

Chapter 3

Godly Living

^1aIn the same way, you wives, ^bbe submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^cwon without a word by the behavior of their wives,

²as they observe your chaste and ¹respectful behavior.

^3aYour adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

⁴but let it be ^athe hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

⁵For in this way in former times the holy women also, ^awho hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;

⁶just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^acalling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right ^1bwithout being frightened by any fear.

^7aYou husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^1bsomeone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

⁸¹To sum up, ^aall of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^bbrotherly, ^ckindhearted, and ^dhumble in spirit;

^9anot returning evil for evil or ^binsult for insult, but ¹giving a ^cblessing instead; for ^dyou were called for the very purpose that you might ^einherit a blessing.

¹⁰For,

“^aThe one who desires life, to love and see good days,

Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

¹¹“^aHe must turn away from evil and do good;

He must seek peace and pursue it.

¹²“^aFor the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,

And His ears attend to their prayer,

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

^13aWho is ¹there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

¹⁴But even if you should ^asuffer for the sake of righteousness, ^byou ¹are blessed. ^cAnd do not fear their ²intimidation, and do not be troubled,

¹⁵but ¹sanctify ^aChrist as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^bto make a ²defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet ^cwith gentleness and ^3dreverence;

¹⁶¹and keep a ^agood conscience so that in the thing in which ^byou are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

¹⁷For ^ait is better, ^bif ¹God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

¹⁸For ^aChrist also died for sins ^bonce for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^cbring us to God, having been put to death ^din the flesh, but made alive ^ein the ¹spirit;

¹⁹in ¹which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

²⁰who once were disobedient, when the ^apatience of God ^bkept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^cthe ark, in which a few, that is, ^deight ^epersons, were brought safely through the ¹water.

^21aCorresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^bnot the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ¹for a ^cgood conscience—through ^dthe resurrection of Jesus Christ,

^22awho is at the right hand of God, ^bhaving gone into heaven, ^cafter angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Chapter 4

Keep Fervent in Your Love

¹Therefore, since ^aChrist has ¹suffered in the flesh, ^barm yourselves also with the same purpose, because ^che who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

^2aso as to live ^bthe rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the ^cwill of God.

³For ^athe time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, ^1bhaving pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and ²abominable idolatries.

⁴In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of ^adissipation, and they ^bmalign you;

⁵but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge ^athe living and the dead.

⁶For ^athe gospel has for this purpose been ¹preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

^7aThe end of all things ¹is near; therefore, ^bbe of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of ²prayer.

⁸Above all, ^akeep fervent in your love for one another, because ^blove covers a multitude of sins.

^9aBe hospitable to one another without ^bcomplaint.

^10aAs each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good ^bstewards of the manifold grace of God.

^11aWhoever speaks, is to do so ¹as one who is speaking the ^butterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving ^2cby the strength which God supplies; so that ^din all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ^eto whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Share the Sufferings of Christ

^12aBeloved, do not be surprised at the ^bfiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;

¹³but to the degree that you ^ashare the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the ^brevelation of His glory ^cyou may rejoice with exultation.

¹⁴If you are reviled ^1afor the name of Christ, ^byou are blessed, ^cbecause the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

¹⁵Make sure that ^anone of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a ^1btroublesome meddler;

¹⁶but if anyone suffers as a ^aChristian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to ^bglorify God in this name.

¹⁷For it is time for judgment ^ato begin ¹with ^bthe household of God; and if it ^cbegins with us first, what will be the outcome for those ^dwho do not obey the ^egospel of God?

^18aAnd if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, ¹what will become of the ^bgodless man and the sinner?

¹⁹Therefore, those also who suffer according to ^athe will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Chapter 5

Serve God Willingly

^1aTherefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your ^bfellow elder and ^cwitness of the sufferings of Christ, and a ^dpartaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,

²shepherd ^athe flock of God among you, exercising oversight ^bnot under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^cnot for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

³nor yet as ^alording it over ¹those allotted to your charge, but ²proving to be ^bexamples to the flock.

⁴And when the Chief ^aShepherd appears, you will receive the ^bunfading ^1ccrown of glory.

^5aYou younger men, likewise, ^bbe subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with ^chumility toward one another, for ^dGod is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

⁶Therefore ^ahumble yourselves under the mighty…