I Peter 2

¹Laying aside therefore all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all slander,

²as new-born babes, desire the spiritual, pure milk, that ye may grow thereby to salvation;

³if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

⁴To whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but in the sight of God chosen, honored,

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

⁶Because it is contained in the Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, chosen, honored; and he that believeth in him shall not be put to shame."

⁷To you therefore who believe, is the honor; but to the disobedient, "the stone which the builders rejected, the same hath become the corner-stone,"

⁸and "a stone of stumbling, and a rock to strike against;" even to those who stumble, being disobedient to the word; to which they were also appointed.

⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye may show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light;

¹⁰who once were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I exhort you, as sojourners and strangers, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹²having your manner of life among the gentiles honorable; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³Submit yourselves therefore to every human institution for the Lord’s sake; whether to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴or to governors, as being sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of those who do well.

¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;

¹⁶as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as servants of God.

¹⁷Honor all men; love the brotherhood; fear God; honor the king.

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

¹⁹For this is acceptable, if any one on account of a sense of duty to God endureth hardships, suffering wrongfully.

²⁰For what glory is it, if, when ye are beaten for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently [it is glory]; for this is acceptable with God.

²¹For to this ye were called; because even Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps;

²²who committed no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;

²³who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously;

²⁴who himself bore our sins in his own body on the cross, that we, having died to our sins, should live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

²⁵For ye were going astray like sheep; but ye have now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

I Peter 2

¹Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

²As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

³If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

⁴To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

¹²Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, 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 a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

²⁰For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

²¹For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

²⁴Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

²⁵For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.