The Living Stone and a Holy People

2 Therefore, rid yourselves of^(A) all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.^{(B) 2} Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word,^[a](C) so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, ³ if you have tasted^(D) that the Lord is good.^{[b](E) 4} As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by^[c] God— ⁵ you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood^[d] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God^(F) through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture:

⁷ So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

⁸ and

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined^(L) for this.

⁹ But you are a chosen race,^[i][j](M) a royal priesthood,^[k](N) a holy nation,^[l](O) a people for his possession,^[m](P) so that you may proclaim the praises^[n][o](Q) of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.^{(R) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,^(S) but now you have received mercy.

A Call to Good Works

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles^(T) to abstain^(U) from sinful^(V) desires that wage war against the soul.^{(W) 12} Conduct^(X) yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,^[p] so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.^(Y)

Undeserved Suffering

¹³ Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness,^(A) you are blessed. Do not fear them^[a](B) or be intimidated,^{[b](C) 15} but in your hearts regard^[c] Christ^[d] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.^{(D) 16} Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,^(E) so that when you are accused,^[e] those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer^(F) for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.