1 Peter 2

1 Therefore, strip away all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slanderous speech.

2 Like newborn babies, crave the pure spiritual milk, so that through it you may grow up into the fullness of salvation—

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Living Stone and His Chosen People

4 As you approach Him—a living stone rejected by human beings but chosen and valuable in God’s eyes—

5 you yourselves, like living stones, are being constructed into a spiritual house to serve as a holy priesthood, presenting spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For Scripture contains this statement:

“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and whoever believes in Him will never be disappointed.”*

7 To you who believe, therefore, belongs the honor,

but to those who refuse to believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected—

this very one has become the cornerstone,”*

8 and “A stone that causes stumbling

and a rock that brings offense.”*

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were appointed to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging exclusively to God, so that you may declare the praises of the One who summoned you out of darkness into His amazing light.

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Christians’ Honorable Conduct and Just Suffering

11 Beloved, I appeal to you: Recognize yourselves as temporary residents and exiles in this world, and therefore resist the bodily appetites that battle against your soul.

12 Let your behavior among unbelievers be exemplary, so that when they slander you as evildoers, your manifest goodness will lead them to praise God when He arrives in judgment.

13 Accept the authority of human governing institutions out of loyalty to the Lord—whether the emperor or highest ruler,

14 or regional administrators whom he delegates to prosecute criminals and honor the law-abiding.

15 The intention of God is that your upright lives should silence the slander of those who speak against you in their ignorance.

16 Conduct yourselves as liberated people, yet never exploit that liberty as license for wickedness; rather, live as those bound in service to God.

17 Treat all people with dignity. Love your fellow believers. Revere God. Respect the ruling authority.

18 Those in household service: Accept the authority of your masters with profound deference—not merely when they treat you fairly and gently, but even when they are severe.

19 It is praiseworthy when someone bears suffering unjustly because their conscience is oriented toward God.

20 There is no virtue in accepting punishment you deserve for wrongdoing. But enduring hardship despite innocent conduct—this merits the approval of God.

21 This is precisely the vocation to which you were appointed, since Christ suffered on your behalf, providing a pattern for you to trace with your own lives—

22 He who was utterly sinless, whose speech contained no falsehood;

23 who, when reviled, returned no abuse; who, when tortured, uttered no threats, but continuously surrendered Himself to the righteous Judge;

24 who bore the weight of our transgressions in His own flesh on the tree, that we might become dead to sin and alive to righteousness; by His wounds your healing was accomplished.

25 You once wandered astray like directionless sheep, but have now come home to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Notes

6 Quoted from Is. 28:16

7 Quoted from Ps. 118:22

8 Quoted from Is. 8:14

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