1 Pedro 2

¹ Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk.

² Like newborn infants, long for the spiritual milk that is without deception to help you grow to salvation.

³ You have tasted that the Lord is kind.

⁴ You came to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and precious with God.

⁵ You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶ The scriptures say: »I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, chosen and precious (Isaiah 28:16). He who believes in him will not be disappointed shamed.«

⁷ This precious value is for those who believe. But for the unbeliever: »The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.«

⁸ It is a stone that people stumble over, and a large rock that people find offensive. They stumble because they are disobedient to the word. To this end they were appointed.

⁹ You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession, that you may show the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

¹⁰ In time past you were no people, but now you are the people of God. You had not then received, but now have received mercy compassiondivine kindness.

¹¹ Beloved, I request that you as aliens and strangers abstain from fleshly lust desires, which causes conflict in you.

¹² Maintain fine behavior among the nations. That way when they speak badly about you, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation inspection.

¹³ Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it is to the king,

¹⁴ or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do good.

¹⁵ It is God’s will that you do the right things and that this will silence the ignorance of foolish men.

¹⁶ Be free, and yet do not use your freedom for a covering for evil, but as servants of God.

¹⁷ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Reverence and respect God. Honor the king.

¹⁸ Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle master but also to the hard to please.

¹⁹ For this is to your credit to suffer wrongfully and endure grief because of your conscience toward God.

²⁰ What value is there when you sin, and are buffeted for it, you take it patiently? But if, when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

²¹ For this you were called because Christ also suffered for you. He left you an example a copy for imitationa model that you should follow in his steps.

²² He committed no sin and deception was not found in him.

²³ When he was reviled insulted, he did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously.

²⁴ He bore our sins in his body upon the stake, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed because of his wounds stripes.

²⁵ For you were straying like sheep. But now you have returned to your shepherd and overseer.