A Living Stone and a Holy People
aSo put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 aLike newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual bmilk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have atasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone arejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 ayou yourselves like living stones are being built up as ba spiritual house, to be ca holy priesthood, dto offer spiritual sacrifices eacceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
a“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
band whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who abelieve, but for those who ado not believe,
b“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
a“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, bas they were destined to do.
9 But you are aa chosen race, ba royal cpriesthood, da holy nation, ea people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you fout of darkness into ghis marvelous light. 10 aOnce you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you aas sojourners and exiles bto abstain from the passions of the flesh, cwhich wage war against your soul. 12 aKeep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, bthey may see your good deeds and glorify God on cthe day of visitation.
Submission to Authority
13 aBe subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him ato punish those who do evil and bto praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, athat by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 aLive as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but bliving as servants of God. 17 aHonor everyone. bLove the brotherhood. cFear God. Honor the emperor.
18 aServants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, amindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But aif when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For ato this you have been called, bbecause Christ also suffered for you, cleaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 aHe committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 aWhen he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, bbut continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 aHe himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we bmight die to sin and clive to righteousness. dBy his wounds you have been healed. 25 For ayou were straying like sheep, but have now returned to bthe Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.