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. ²Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,^(C) so that by it you may grow up^(D) in your salvation, ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.^(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

⁴As you come to him, the living Stone^(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God^(G) and precious to him— ⁵you 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) ⁶For 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)

⁷Now 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)

⁸and,

“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)

⁹But 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) ¹⁰Once 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

¹¹Dear friends,^(Y) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(Z) to abstain from sinful desires,^(AA) which wage war against your soul.^(AB) ¹²Live 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.

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

¹⁸Slaves, 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. ¹⁹For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.^(AQ) ²⁰But 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) ²¹To 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)

²³When 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) ²⁵For “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 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)

Zechariah 8-10

New International Version

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

8 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

²This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous^(A) for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

³This is what the Lord says: “I will return^(B) to Zion^(C) and dwell in Jerusalem.^(D) Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City,^(E) and the mountain^(F) of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.^(G)”

⁴This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem,^(H) each of them with cane in hand because of their age. ⁵The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.^(I)”

⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time,^(J) but will it seem marvelous to me?^(K)” declares the Lord Almighty.

⁷This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.^(L) ⁸I will bring them back^(M) to live^(N) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,^(O) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.^(P)”

⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong^(Q) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets^(R) said who were present when the foundation^(S) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁰Before that time there were no wages^(T) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^(U) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. ¹¹But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”^(V) declares the Lord Almighty.

¹²“The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,^(W) the ground will produce its crops,^(X) and the heavens will drop their dew.^(Y) I will give all these things as an inheritance^(Z) to the remnant of this people.^(AA) ¹³Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse^[a]^(AB) among the nations, so I will save^(AC) you, and you will be a blessing.^[b]^(AD) Do not be afraid,^(AE) but let your hands be strong.^(AF)”

¹⁴This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster^(AG) on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, ¹⁵“so now I have determined to do good^(AH) again to Jerusalem and Judah.^(AI) Do not be afraid. ¹⁶These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth^(AJ) to each other, and render true and sound judgment^(AK) in your courts;^(AL) ¹⁷do not plot evil^(AM) against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.^(AN) I hate all this,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸The word of the Lord Almighty came to me.

¹⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth,^(AO) fifth,^(AP) seventh^(AQ) and tenth^(AR) months will become joyful^(AS) and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth^(AT) and peace.”

²⁰This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, ²¹and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat^(AU) the Lord and seek^(AV) the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ ²²And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”^(AW)

²³This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”^(AX)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

9 A prophecy:^(AY)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus^(AZ)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord—^[c]
²and on Hamath^(BA) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre^(BB) and Sidon,^(BC) though they are very skillful.
³Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.^(BD)
⁴But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy^(BE) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.^(BF)
⁵Ashkelon^(BG) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
⁶A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end^(BH) to the pride of the Philistines.
⁷I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God^(BI)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.^(BJ)
⁸But I will encamp^(BK) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.^(BL)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.^(BM)

The Coming of Zion’s King

⁹Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!^(BN)
    Shout,^(BO) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,^(BP)
    righteous and victorious,^(BQ)
lowly and riding on a donkey,^(BR)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.^(BS)
¹⁰I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.^(BT)
He will proclaim peace^(BU) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River^[d] to the ends of the earth.^(BV)
¹¹As for you, because of the blood of my covenant^(BW) with you,
    I will free your prisoners^(BX) from the waterless pit.^(BY)
¹²Return to your fortress,^(BZ) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice^(CA) as much to you.
¹³I will bend Judah as I bend my bow^(CB)
    and fill it with Ephraim.^(CC)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,^(CD)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.^(CE)

The Lord Will Appear

¹⁴Then the Lord will appear over them;^(CF)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.^(CG)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;^(CH)
    he will march in the storms^(CI) of the south,
¹⁵    and the Lord Almighty will shield^(CJ) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.^(CK)
They will drink and roar as with wine;^(CL)
    they will be full like a bowl^(CM)
    used for sprinkling^[e] the corners^(CN) of the altar.
¹⁶The Lord their God will save his people on that day^(CO)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.^(CP)
¹⁷How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

The Lord Will Care for Judah

10 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;
    it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms.
He gives showers of rain^(CQ) to all people,
    and plants of the field^(CR) to everyone.
²The idols^(CS) speak deceitfully,
    diviners^(CT) see visions that lie;
they tell dreams^(CU) that are false,
    they give comfort in vain.^(CV)
Therefore the people wander like sheep
    oppressed for lack of a shepherd.^(CW)

³“My anger burns against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;^(CX)
for the Lord Almighty will care
    for his flock, the people of Judah,
    and make them like a proud horse in battle.^(CY)
⁴From Judah will come the cornerstone,^(CZ)
    from him the tent peg,^(DA)
from him the battle bow,^(DB)
    from him every ruler.
⁵Together they^[f] will be like warriors in battle
    trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.^(DC)
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
    and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.^(DD)

⁶“I will strengthen^(DE) Judah
    and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them
    because I have compassion^(DF) on them.^(DG)
They will be as though
    I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God
    and I will answer^(DH) them.
⁷The Ephraimites will become like warriors,
    and their hearts will be glad as with wine.^(DI)
Their children will see it and be joyful;
    their hearts will rejoice^(DJ) in the Lord.
⁸I will signal^(DK) for them
    and gather them in.
Surely I will redeem them;
    they will be as numerous^(DL) as before.
⁹Though I scatter them among the peoples,
    yet in distant lands they will remember me.^(DM)
They and their children will survive,
    and they will return.
¹⁰I will bring them back from Egypt
    and gather them from Assyria.^(DN)
I will bring them to Gilead^(DO) and Lebanon,
    and there will not be room^(DP) enough for them.
¹¹They will pass through the sea of trouble;
    the surging sea will be subdued
    and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.^(DQ)
Assyria’s pride^(DR) will be brought down
    and Egypt’s scepter^(DS) will pass away.^(DT)
¹²I will strengthen^(DU) them in the Lord
    and in his name they will live securely,^(DV)”
declares the Lord.

Footnotes

Zechariah 8:13 That is, your name has been used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, you have been regarded as under a curse.
Zechariah 8:13 Or and your name will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or and you will be seen as blessed
Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like
Zechariah 10:5 Or ruler, all of them together. / ⁵They