1 Peter 2
2
Live as God’s Chosen People
1So get rid of every kind of evil, every kind of deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. 2Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation. 3Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good!
4You are coming to Christ, the living stone who was rejected by humans but was chosen as precious by God. 5You come to him as living stones, a spiritual house that is being built into a holy priesthood. So offer spiritual sacrifices that God accepts through Jesus Christ. 6That is why Scripture says,
“I am laying a chosen and precious cornerstone in Zion,
and the person who believes in him
will never be ashamed.”
7This honor belongs to those who believe. But to those who don’t believe:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,
8a stone that people trip over,
a large rock that people find offensive.”
The people tripped over the word because they refused to believe it. Therefore, this is how they ended up.
9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not God’s people, but now you are. Once you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy.
11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. 12Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you.
Respect the Authority of Others
13Place yourselves under the authority of human governments to please the Lord. Obey the emperor. He holds the highest position of authority. 14Also obey governors. They are people the emperor has sent to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right. 16Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God. 17Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18Slaves, place yourselves under the authority of your owners and show them complete respect. Obey not only those owners who are good and kind, but also those who are unfair. 19God is pleased if a person is aware of him while enduring the pains of unjust suffering. 20What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you.
21God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. 22Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. 23Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. 24Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you. 25You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishop of your lives.
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1 Peter 2: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
1 Peter 2
2
1Wherefore laying away all malice, and all guile, and dissimulations, and envies, and all detractions,
2As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation:
3If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.
4Unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honourable by God:
5Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded.
7To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set.
9But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10Who in time past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy.
11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul,
12Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake: whether it be to the king as excelling;
14Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good:
15For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God.
17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully.
20For what glory is it, if committing sin, and being buffeted for it, you endure? But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God.
21For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.
22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
23Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly.
24Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed.
25For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.