1 Peter 2

Therefore, rid yourselves^g of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander^h of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,ⁱ so that by it you may grow up^j in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.^k

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone^a—rejected by human beings but chosen by God^b and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built^c into a spiritual house^d to be a holy priesthood,^e offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^f For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,^g

and the one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame.”^h

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,ⁱ

“The stone the builders rejected^j

has become the cornerstone,”^k

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.”^l

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^m

But you are a chosen people,ⁿ a royal priesthood,^o a holy nation,^p God’s special possession,^q that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^r Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^s once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

Dear friends,^a I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^b to abstain from sinful desires,^c which war against your soul.^d Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^e and glorify God^f on the day he visits us.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^g whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^h and to commend those who do right.ⁱ For it is God’s will^j that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of the foolish.^k Live as free people,^l but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^m live as God’s slaves.ⁿ Show proper respect to everyone, love your fellow believers,^o fear God, honor the emperor.^p

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,^q not only to those who are good and considerate,^r but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if you bear up under the pain of unjust suffering because you are conscious of God.^s But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.^t To this^u you were called,^v because Christ suffered for you,^w leaving you an example,^x that you should follow in his steps.

“He committed no sin,^y

and no deceit was found in his mouth.”^z

When they hurled their insults at him,^a he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.^b Instead, he entrusted himself^c to him who judges justly.^d “He himself bore our sins”^e in his body on the cross,^f so that we might die to sins^g and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^h For “you were like sheep going astray,”ⁱ but now you have returned to the Shepherd^j and Overseer of your souls.^k