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Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, of all deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and of all the ways there are of speaking against people; and be like newborn babies, thirsty for the pure milk of the Word; so that by it, you may grow up into deliverance. For you have tasted that Adonai is good.[a]

As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him, you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be cohanim set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Yeshua the Messiah. This is why the Tanakh says,

“Look! I am laying in Tziyon a stone,
a chosen and precious cornerstone;
and whoever rests his trust on it
will certainly not be humiliated.”[b]

Now to you who keep trusting, he is precious. But to those who are not trusting,

“The very stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone”;[c]

also he is

a stone that will make people stumble,
a rock over which they will trip.[d]

They are stumbling at the Word, disobeying it — as had been planned. But you are a chosen people,[e] the King’s cohanim,[f] a holy nation,[g] a people for God to possess![h] Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; before, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.[i]

11 Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents[j] not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you; 12 but to live such good lives among the pagans that even though they now speak against you as evil-doers, they will, as a result of seeing your good actions, give glory to God on the Day of his coming. 13 For the sake of the Lord, submit yourselves to every human authority — whether to the emperor as being supreme, 14 or to governors as being sent by him to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s will that your doing good should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Submit as people who are free, but not letting your freedom serve as an excuse for evil; rather, submit as God’s slaves. 17 Be respectful to all — keep loving the brotherhood, fearing God and honoring the emperor.

18 Household servants, submit yourselves to your masters, showing them full respect — and not only those who are kind and considerate, but also those who are harsh. 19 For it is a grace when someone, because he is mindful of God, bears up under the pain of undeserved punishment. 20 For what credit is there in bearing up under a beating you deserve for doing something wrong? But if you bear up under punishment, even though you have done what is right, God looks on it with favor. 21 Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin,
nor was any deceit found on his lips.”[k]

23 When he was insulted, he didn’t retaliate with insults; when he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but handed them over to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins[l] in his body on the stake,[m] so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness — by his wounds you were healed.[n] 25 For you used to be like sheep gone astray, but now you have turned to[o] the Shepherd, who watches over you.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:3 Psalm 34:9(8)
  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 2:9 Isaiah 43:20; Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:15
  6. 1 Peter 2:9 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
  7. 1 Peter 2:9 Exodus 19:6
  8. 1 Peter 2:9 Isaiah 43:21; Exodus 19:5
  9. 1 Peter 2:10 Hosea 2:25(23)
  10. 1 Peter 2:11 Genesis 23:4; 47:4; Psalm 39:13(12); 1 Chronicles 29:15
  11. 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
  12. 1 Peter 2:24 Isaiah 53:4, 12
  13. 1 Peter 2:24 Deuteronomy 21:22–23
  14. 1 Peter 2:24 Isaiah 53:5
  15. 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:6

Jesus Is the Living Stone

So then, rid yourselves of all evil, all ·lying [deceit], hypocrisy, ·jealousy [envy], and ·evil speech [slander; C all traits that destroy relationships; Rom. 13:13; Eph. 4:25–32; Col. 3:8]. As newborn babies want milk, you should want the ·pure [sincere; unadulterated] and ·simple [or spiritual] ·teaching [L milk; C probably referring to the word of God; see 1:23–25]. By it you can ·mature [grow; reach maturity] in your salvation, because you have already ·examined and seen [L tasted] how good the Lord is [Ps. 34:8].

Come to the Lord Jesus, the ·“stone” that lives [L a living stone; C Jesus is the most important stone in the spiritual temple described in v. 5]. ·The people of the world did not want this stone, but he was the stone God chose, and he was precious [L …rejected by people, but chosen and precious/valuable to God]. You also are like living stones, so let yourselves be used to build a spiritual ·temple [house]—to be holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices that are ·acceptable [pleasing] to God ·through [or because they are mediated by] Jesus Christ. The Scripture ·says [L contains]:

[L See; Look,] I will ·put a stone in the ground in Jerusalem [L lay a stone in Zion; C Zion is a poetic term for Jerusalem].
    ·Everything will be built on this important and precious rock [L a chosen and precious cornerstone; C the stone that supports the others].
Anyone who ·trusts [believes; has faith] in him
    will never be ·disappointed [L put to shame; Is. 28:16].”

  ·This stone is worth much to you who believe [or You who believe see the honor/value/preciousness of the stone; L The honor is to you who believe]. But to the people who do not believe,

“the stone that the builders rejected
    has become ·the cornerstone [L head of the corner; C the precise meaning is uncertain, but clearly refers to the most important stone in a building; Ps. 118:22; compare Mark 12:10–11; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20–22].”

  ·Also, he is [L And]

“a stone that causes people to stumble,
    a rock that ·makes them fall [trips them; snares them; causes them to sin; offends them; Is. 8:14; Rom. 9:32–33].”

They stumble because they do not obey ·what God says [the message/word], which is what God ·planned to happen to [destined/appointed for] them.

But you are a chosen ·people [or generation; Is. 43:21], royal ·priests [L priesthood], a holy nation, a people ·for God’s own possession [who belong to God; Ex. 19:5–6]. You were chosen to ·tell about the wonderful acts of God, who [proclaim the praises/virtues of him who] called you out of darkness into his ·wonderful [marvelous] light. 10 At one time you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. In the past you had ·never [L not] received mercy, but now you have received God’s mercy [Hos. 2:23].

Live for God

11 ·Dear friends [L Beloved], I ·beg [urge; exhort] you as ·foreigners [strangers; sojourners; resident aliens; 1:17] and ·strangers in this world [exiles; temporary residents; refugees; foreigners; 1:1; Gen. 23:4] to ·avoid [abstain from] the ·evil things your bodies want to do [L fleshly/worldly desires] that fight against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among unbelievers [L the Gentiles/pagans] that, even though they might ·say that you are doing wrong [slander you; accuse you of doing evil], they will see the good things you do and will give glory to God ·on the day when Christ comes again [when Christ comes to judge; L on the day of visitation].

Yield to Every Human Authority

13 For the Lord’s sake, ·yield [submit; be subject] to ·the people who have authority in this world [or every human institution/creation; Rom. 13:1–7; Titus 3:1]: the ·king [or emperor], who is the ·highest [supreme] authority, 14 and the ·leaders [governors] who are ·sent [commissioned] by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 [L For; Because] It is ·God’s desire [L the will of God] that by doing good you should ·stop foolish people from saying stupid things about you [L silence the ignorant talk of foolish people]. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an ·excuse [cover-up; pretext] to do evil. Live as ·servants [slaves] of God. 17 ·Show respect for [Honor] all people: Love the ·brothers and sisters of God’s family [community of believers; brotherhood], ·respect [fear] God [Prov. 1:7], honor the king [or emperor; Rom. 13:1].

Follow Christ’s Example

18 ·Slaves [Servants; C the term refers to household slaves], ·yield [submit; be subject; C put the other person’s interests first] to the authority of your masters with all ·respect [fear; deference; Eph. 6:5–9; Col. 3:22—4:1], not only those who are good and ·kind [gentle; considerate], but also those who are ·dishonest [or cruel; L crooked]. 19 A person might have to suffer even when it is ·unfair [unjust], but if ·through awareness of God [or because of his God-given conscience] he endures the ·pain [grief], ·God is pleased [or this is commendable; L this is favor/credit/grace]. 20 If you are beaten for ·doing wrong [sin], ·there is no reason to praise you [what credit/honor is that for you…?] for ·being patient in your punishment [enduring it]. But if you suffer for doing good, and you ·are patient [endure it], ·then God is pleased [this is commendable to God; L this is favor/credit/grace from God]. 21 [L For] This is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you ·and gave you [leaving you] an example to follow. So you should ·do as he did [L follow in his footsteps].

22 “He ·had never sinned [committed no sin],
    and ·he had never lied [L no deceit was found in his mouth; Is. 53:9].”

23 People ·insulted [abused; reviled] Christ, but he did not ·insult [abuse; revile] them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. ·He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him [L He delivered/entrusted himself to the One who judges justly/rightly]. 24 Christ [L himself] ·carried [bore] our sins in his body on the ·cross [L tree; Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13] so we would ·stop living for [die to] sin and start living for ·what is right [righteousness]. And you are healed ·because of [by] his wounds. 25 [L For] You were like sheep that wandered away [Is. 53:6], but now you have come back to the Shepherd and ·Overseer [Guardian] of your souls.

Por lo tanto, dejen de hacer toda clase de mal, todo engaño, hipocresía, envidias y chismes. Como niños recién nacidos busquen con ansias la leche pura de la palabra. Así, por medio de ella crecerán en su salvación, ahora que han probado lo bueno que es el Señor.

La piedra viva y su pueblo escogido

Acérquense a Cristo, que es la Piedra viva que los seres humanos despreciaron pero que Dios escogió y es preciosa para él. De este modo, también ustedes son piedras vivas con las que se está edificando una casa espiritual. Así llegan a ser un sacerdocio santo, para que le ofrezcan a Dios sacrificios espirituales por medio de Jesucristo. Estos sacrificios a él le agradan. Como dice la Escritura: «Yo pongo en Sion una piedra que es la principal, escogida y preciosa, y el que confíe en ella jamás será defraudado».

Para ustedes los creyentes, esta piedra es preciosa. Pero para los que no creen:

«La piedra que los constructores despreciaron ha llegado a ser la piedra más importante».

Y también:

«Es una piedra con la cual tropezarán y una roca que hará que caigan». Tropiezan porque no obedecen la palabra, ya que para ello estaban destinados.

Pero ustedes son una familia escogida, son sacerdotes reales y son una nación santa. Son un pueblo que Dios compró para que anuncien sus obras extraordinarias; él fue quien los llamó de las tinieblas a su luz maravillosa. 10 Ustedes antes ni siquiera eran pueblo, pero ahora son el pueblo de Dios; antes no habían tenido compasión de ustedes, pero ahora ya les tienen compasión.

11 Queridos hermanos, les pido, como si ustedes fueran extranjeros y estuvieran de paso por este mundo, que se mantengan lejos de los malos deseos que luchan contra la vida. 12 Vivan entre los que no son creyentes de una manera ejemplar, para que aunque hablen mal de ustedes acusándolos de ser malvados, ellos vean las cosas buenas que ustedes hacen y alaben a Dios en el día en que él les pida cuentas a todos.

Sumisión a los gobernantes y a los superiores

13 Por causa del Señor, obedezcan a toda autoridad humana, ya sea al rey porque es el que tiene más autoridad, 14 o a los gobernadores que él ha puesto para castigar a los que hacen lo malo y para honrar a los que hacen lo bueno. 15 Lo que Dios quiere es que ustedes hagan el bien, para que los ignorantes y tontos no tengan nada que decir en contra de ustedes.

16 Pórtense como personas libres que no usan su libertad como pretexto para hacer lo malo, sino que viven como siervos de Dios.

17 Traten a todos con respeto. Amen a los hermanos, honren a Dios y respeten al rey.

18 Criados, obedezcan y respeten a sus amos, no sólo a los que son buenos y comprensivos sino también a los que son difíciles de soportar, 19 pues es digno de elogio que alguien, por ser responsable ante Dios, soporte penas y sufrimientos injustamente. 20 Pero ustedes no tendrán ningún mérito si los maltratan por hacer lo malo. En cambio, si sufren por hacer lo bueno, eso es algo que a Dios le agrada. 21 Para esto los llamó, para que así como Cristo sufrió por ustedes y les dio el ejemplo, ustedes sigan sus pasos.

22 «Cristo no cometió ningún pecado ni engañó jamás a nadie».

23 Cuando lo insultaban, él no respondía con insultos. Cuando lo hacían sufrir, no los amenazaba, sino que se entregaba a Dios y dejaba que él juzgara con justicia. 24 Cristo mismo llevó en su cuerpo nuestros pecados a la cruz, para que muramos al pecado y llevemos una vida justa. Cristo fue herido para que ustedes fueran sanados. 25 Antes ustedes eran como ovejas descarriadas, pero ahora han regresado al Pastor que cuida de sus vidas.