I Peter 2

¹Therefore, set aside all malice and all deceitfulness, as well as falseness and envy and every detraction.

²Like newborn infants, desire the milk of reasonableness without guile, so that by this you may increase unto salvation,

³if it is true that you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.

⁴And approaching him as if he were a living stone, rejected by men, certainly, but elect and honored by God,

⁵be also yourselves like living stones, built upon him, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, so as to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶Because of this, Scripture asserts: “Behold, I am setting in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious. And whoever will have believed in him will not be confounded.”

⁷Therefore, to you who believe, he is honor. But to those who do not believe, the stone which the builders have rejected, the same has been made into the head of the corner,

⁸and a stone of offense, and a rock of scandal, to those who are offended by the Word; neither do they believe, though they also have been built upon him.

⁹But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, so that you may announce the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

¹⁰Though in past times you were not a people, yet now you are the people of God. Though you had not obtained mercy, yet now you have obtained mercy.

¹¹Most beloved, I beg you, as new arrivals and sojourners, to abstain from carnal desires, which battle against the soul.

¹²Keep your behavior among the Gentiles to what is good, so that, when they slander you as if you were evildoers, they may, by the good works that are seen in you, glorify God on the day of visitation.

¹³Therefore, be subject to every human creature because of God, whether it is to the king as preeminent,

¹⁴or to leaders as having been sent from him for vindication over evildoers, it is truly for the praise of what is good.

¹⁵For such is the will of God, that by doing good you may bring about the silence of imprudent and ignorant men,

¹⁶in an open manner, and not as if cloaking malice with liberty, but like servants of God.

¹⁷Honor everyone. Love brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

¹⁸Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and meek, but also to the unruly.

¹⁹For this is grace: when, because of God, a man willingly endures sorrows, suffering injustice.

²⁰For what glory is there, if you sin and then suffer a beating? But if you do well and suffer patiently, this is grace with God.

²¹For you have been called to this because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in his footsteps.

²²He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

²³And when evil was spoken against him, he did not speak evil. When he suffered, he did not threaten. Then he handed himself over to him who judged him unjustly.

²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body upon the tree, so that we, having died to sin, would live for justice. By his wounds, you have been healed.

²⁵For you were like wandering sheep. But now you have been turned back toward the Pastor and the Bishop of your souls.

I Peter 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 marvelous light:

¹⁰Who in times 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.