1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The living Stone and a chosen people
4As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him –5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[1] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ (Isa 28:16)7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ (Ps 118:22)8and, ‘A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for. (Isa 8:14)9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living godly lives in a pagan society
11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.16Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.17Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor.18Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.19For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.20But 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.21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.22‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ (Isa 53:9)23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.24‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’25For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’[2] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (Isa 53:4; Isa 53:5; Isa 53:6)
1 Peter 2
English Standard Version
A Living Stone and a Holy People
1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (Eph 4:22; Eph 4:25; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8)2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— (Mt 18:3; 1Co 3:2; Heb 5:12)3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (Ps 34:8; Heb 6:5)4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, (1Pe 2:6)5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (Isa 56:7; Mal 1:11; Ro 12:1; Ro 15:16; 1Co 3:9; Eph 2:20; Php 4:18; Heb 3:4; Heb 3:6; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:9)6For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Isa 28:16; Ro 9:33; Ro 10:11)7So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”[1] (Ps 118:22; 2Co 2:16)8and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (Isa 8:14; Ro 9:22; Ro 9:33; Jud 1:4)9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (Ex 19:5; Ex 19:6; De 7:6; De 10:15; Ps 36:9; Isa 42:16; Isa 43:20; Isa 43:21; Isa 61:6; Isa 66:21; Mal 3:17; Ac 26:18; Re 1:6; Re 5:10)10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (Ho 1:6; Ho 1:9; Ho 2:23; Ro 9:25; Ro 10:19)11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (Le 25:23; Ro 13:14; Ga 5:24; Jas 4:1)12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (Isa 10:3; Mt 5:16; Lu 19:44; 2Co 8:21; 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:24; Php 2:15; Tit 2:8; 1Pe 3:16)
Submission to Authority
13Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,[2] whether it be to the emperor[3] as supreme, (Ro 13:1; Tit 3:1)14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. (Ro 13:3; Ro 13:4)15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (1Pe 2:12)16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[4] of God. (Ro 6:22; 1Co 7:22; Jas 1:25)17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (Pr 24:21; Ro 12:10; Ro 13:7; Heb 13:1)18Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. (Eph 6:5; Col 3:22; 1Ti 6:1; Tit 2:9)19For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. (1Pe 3:14; 1Pe 3:17; 1Pe 4:16)20For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. (1Pe 3:17; 1Pe 4:13; 1Pe 4:16)21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (Mt 11:29; Ac 14:22; 1Pe 2:20; 1Pe 3:9)22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. (Isa 53:9; 2Co 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1Jo 3:5)23When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (Isa 53:7; Lu 23:46; Heb 12:3; 1Pe 3:9)24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (Isa 53:4; Isa 53:5; Isa 53:11; Mt 8:17; Ro 6:2; Ro 6:11; Ro 6:13; Ro 7:4; Ro 7:6; Col 2:20; Col 3:3; Heb 9:28)25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (Ps 119:176; Isa 53:6; Eze 34:6; Lu 15:4; Joh 10:11)