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1 Peter 2
New International Version

2 Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4 As you come to him, the living Stone(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(G) and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built(H) into a spiritual house[a](I) to be a holy priesthood,(J) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(K) 6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(L)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](M)

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(N)

“The stone the builders rejected(O)
    has become the cornerstone,”[c](P)

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d](Q)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(R)

9 But you are a chosen people,(S) a royal priesthood,(T) a holy nation,(U) God’s special possession,(V) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(W) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(X) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

11 Dear friends,(Y) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(Z) to abstain from sinful desires,(AA) which wage war against your soul.(AB) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(AC) and glorify God(AD) on the day he visits us.

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:(AE) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong(AF) and to commend those who do right.(AG) 15 For it is God’s will(AH) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.(AI) 16 Live as free people,(AJ) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(AK) live as God’s slaves.(AL) 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,(AM) fear God, honor the emperor.(AN)

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,(AO) not only to those who are good and considerate,(AP) but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.(AQ) 20 But 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.(AR) 21 To this(AS) you were called,(AT) because Christ suffered for you,(AU) leaving you an example,(AV) that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin,(AW)
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e](AX)

23 When they hurled their insults at him,(AY) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(AZ) Instead, he entrusted himself(BA) to him who judges justly.(BB) 24 “He himself bore our sins”(BC) in his body on the cross,(BD) so that we might die to sins(BE) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”(BF) 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f](BG) but now you have returned to the Shepherd(BH) and Overseer of your souls.(BI)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
  5. 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
  6. 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)
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1 Peter 2
Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Yearn For His Word So That You May Grow

2 Having then laid-aside all badness[a], and all deceit and hypocrisies and jealousies, and all slanders— 2 yearn like newborn babies for the deceitless[b] milk of-the-Word[c] in order that by it you may grow in[d] [your] salvation, 3 if [e] you tasted that the Lord is good—

For You Are Being Built Upon The Living Cornerstone As a Holy Priesthood

4 ... coming to Whom as the living Stone having been rejected by people, but chosen, precious with God, 5 you yourselves also as living stones are being built[f] as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Because it is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying a Stone in Zion— a chosen, precious Cornerstone. And the one putting-faith upon Him will never be put-to-shame” [Isa 28:16]. 7 The precious-value then is for you, the ones believing. But for ones not-believing: “The Stone which the ones building rejected, this became the head[g] of the corner” [Ps 118:22] 8 and “a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of [h] falling” [Isa 8:14]— who stumble while[i] disobeying the word, to which indeed they were appointed[j].

And You Are Chosen By God To Report His Virtues To The World

9 And you are a chosen family[k], a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may report the virtues[l] of the One having called you out of darkness into His marvelous light— 10 who once were not a people, but now are the people of God; the ones not having received-mercy, but now having received-mercy.

Beloved, Keep Your Conduct Praiseworthy In The World So That God May Be Glorified

11 Beloved, I exhort you as foreigners[m] and pilgrims to be abstaining from fleshly desires which wage-war against the soul, 12 holding your conduct good[n] among the Gentiles in order that in what they are speaking-against you as evil-doers[o], they may by observing your good works glorify God on the day of visitation[p].

Be Subject To Human Institutions For The Lord’s Sake

13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake— whether to a king as being superior, 14 or to governors as being sent by him[q] for the punishment of evil-doers and praise of good-doers. 15 Because thus is the will of God, that while doing-good you may be silencing the ignorance of foolish people.

Honor Everyone

16 As[r] free ones, and not having the freedom as a covering of evilness, but as slaves of God, 17 honor everyone: be loving the brotherhood[s], be fearing God, be honoring the king;

Be Subject To Your Masters, Whether Good Or Bad, Following Christ’s Example

18 ... servants, being subject to your masters with all fear[t], not only to the good and kind ones, but also to the crooked[u] ones. 19 For this finds favor— if for the sake of a consciousness[v] of God one bears-up[w] while suffering sorrows unjustly. 20 For what-kind-of credit[x] is it if while sinning and being beaten, you will endure? But if while doing-good and suffering you will endure, this finds favor with God. 21 For you were called to this[y]. Because Christ also suffered for you, leaving-behind a pattern for you in order that you might follow-after His footsteps—

Christ Suffered Unjustly, Entrusting Himself To God

22 ... Who “did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” [Isa 53:9]; 23 Who while being reviled, was not reviling-in-return; while suffering, was not threatening, but was committing Himself [z] to the One judging righteously; 24 Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross in order that we, having died[aa] to sins, might live for righteousness; by Whose bruise you were healed. 25 For you were going-astray like sheep, but now you returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:1 Or, evilness, malice.
  2. 1 Peter 2:2 Or, pure, unadulterated.
  3. 1 Peter 2:2 Or, pertaining-to-the-Word. Or, pertaining-to-the-real-nature-of-things, and thus, ‘spiritual’ milk.
  4. 1 Peter 2:2 Or, in relation to, into.
  5. 1 Peter 2:3 That is, assuming that.
  6. 1 Peter 2:5 Or, are building yourselves. Or this may be a command, be built, build yourselves.
  7. 1 Peter 2:7 See Mk 12:10.
  8. 1 Peter 2:8 That is, causing a fall.
  9. 1 Peter 2:8 That is, because they are disobeying; or, by disobeying.
  10. 1 Peter 2:8 Or, destined.
  11. 1 Peter 2:9 Or, race, people, nation.
  12. 1 Peter 2:9 Or, excellencies, praises, mighty acts.
  13. 1 Peter 2:11 Or, resident aliens.
  14. 1 Peter 2:12 Or, commendable, praiseworthy.
  15. 1 Peter 2:12 Or, criminals (in living as Christians).
  16. 1 Peter 2:12 That is, the day when God visits them with salvation or judgment; or, the day when they judge you.
  17. 1 Peter 2:14 Or, Him.
  18. 1 Peter 2:16 Or, [Live] as free ones.
  19. 1 Peter 2:17 That is, the community of believers.
  20. 1 Peter 2:18 That is, with all respect; or, in all reverence of God.
  21. 1 Peter 2:18 Or, dishonest, unscrupulous. That is, toward you, v 19.
  22. 1 Peter 2:19 Or, conscience toward God.
  23. 1 Peter 2:19 Or, endures.
  24. 1 Peter 2:20 Or, fame, glory.
  25. 1 Peter 2:21 That is, to bear up under unjust suffering for Christ.
  26. 1 Peter 2:23 Or, them, it.
  27. 1 Peter 2:24 Or, being dead.
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1 Peter 2
English Standard Version

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 (A)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 (B)Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual (C)milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have (D)tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone (E)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 (F)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as (G)a spiritual house, to be (H)a holy priesthood, (I)to offer spiritual sacrifices (J)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

(K)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
(L)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who (M)believe, but for those who (N)do not believe,

(O)“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”[a]

8 and

(P)“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, (Q)as they were destined to do.

9 But you are (R)a chosen race, (S)a royal (T)priesthood, (U)a holy nation, (V)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you (W)out of darkness into (X)his marvelous light. 10 (Y)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.

11 Beloved, I urge you (Z)as sojourners and exiles (AA)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, (AB)which wage war against your soul. 12 (AC)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, (AD)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on (AE)the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 (AF)Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[b] whether it be to the emperor[c] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him (AG)to punish those who do evil and (AH)to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, (AI)that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 (AJ)Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but (AK)living as servants[d] of God. 17 (AL)Honor everyone. (AM)Love the brotherhood. (AN)Fear God. Honor the emperor.

18 (AO)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.[e] 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, (AP)mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But (AQ)if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For (AR)to this you have been called, (AS)because Christ also suffered for you, (AT)leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 (AU)He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 (AV)When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, (AW)but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 (AX)He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we (AY)might die to sin and (AZ)live to righteousness. (BA)By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For (BB)you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to (BC)the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner
  2. 1 Peter 2:13 Or every institution ordained for people
  3. 1 Peter 2:13 Or king; also verse 17
  4. 1 Peter 2:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  5. 1 Peter 2:18 Or crooked
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