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The Living Stone and the Holy Nation

Rid yourselves, then, of all evil; no more lying or hypocrisy or jealousy or insulting language. Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. (A)As the scripture says, “You have found out for yourselves how kind the Lord is.”

Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. (B)For the scripture says,

“I chose a valuable stone,
    which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion;
    and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.”
(C)This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe:
“The stone which the builders rejected as worthless
    turned out to be the most important of all.”
(D)And another scripture says,
“This is the stone that will make people stumble,
    the rock that will make them fall.”

They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God's will for them.

(E)But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light. 10 (F)At one time you were not God's people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy.

Slaves of God

11 I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul. 12 Your conduct among the heathen should be so good that when they accuse you of being evildoers, they will have to recognize your good deeds and so praise God on the Day of his coming.

13 For the sake of the Lord submit yourselves to every human authority: to the Emperor, who is the supreme authority, 14 and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do. 16 Live as free people; do not, however, use your freedom to cover up any evil, but live as God's slaves. 17 Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor.

The Example of Christ's Suffering

18 You servants must submit yourselves to your masters and show them complete respect, not only to those who are kind and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 God will bless you for this, if you endure the pain of undeserved suffering because you are conscious of his will. 20 For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it. 21 It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps. 22 (G)He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips. 23 (H)When he was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous Judge. 24 (I)Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed. 25 You were like sheep that had lost their way, but now you have been brought back to follow the Shepherd and Keeper of your souls.

As Living Stones, God’s Chosen Family

Therefore, (A)laying aside all [a]malice and all deceit and [b]hypocrisy and [c]envy and all [d](B)slander, (C)like newborn babies, long for the [e](D)pure [f]milk of the word, so that by it you may (E)grow [g]in respect to salvation, if you have (F)tasted [h](G)the kindness of the [i]Lord.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been (H)rejected by men, but is [j]choice and precious in the sight of God, (I)you also, as living stones, [k]are being built up as a (J)spiritual house for a holy (K)priesthood, to (L)offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in [l]Scripture:

(M)Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a (N)precious corner stone,
And he who believes upon [m]Him will not be put to shame.”

(O)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

(P)The stone which the builders (Q)rejected,
This has become the chief corner stone,”

and,

(R)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”

(S)They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, (T)and to this stumbling they were also appointed.

But you are (U)a chosen family, a royal (V)priesthood, a (W)holy nation, (X)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you (Y)out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 (Z)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 (AA)Beloved, (AB)I urge you as (AC)sojourners and exiles to abstain from (AD)fleshly lusts which wage (AE)war against the soul, 12 (AF)by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they (AG)slander you as evildoers, they may [n]because of your good works, as they observe them, (AH)glorify God (AI)in the day of [o]visitation.

Be Subject to Authority

13 (AJ)Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent [p]by him (AK)for the punishment of evildoers and the (AL)praise of those who do good. 15 For [q](AM)such is the will of God that by doing good you may (AN)silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as (AO)free people, and [r]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as (AP)slaves of God. 17 (AQ)Honor all people, (AR)love the [s]brethren, (AS)fear God, (AT)honor the [t]king.

18 (AU)Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and (AV)considerate, but also to those who are [u]crooked. 19 For this finds [v]favor, if for the sake of (AW)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if (AX)when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God.

Christ, Our Example

21 For to this (AY)you have been called, (AZ)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you (BA)an example that you should follow in His steps, 22 who (BB)did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 who being (BC)reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. 24 Who Himself [w](BD)bore our sins in His body on the (BE)tree, so that (BF)having died to [x]sin, we might live to righteousness; (BG)by His [y]wounds you were (BH)healed. 25 For you were (BI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the (BJ)Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:1 Or wickedness
  2. 1 Peter 2:1 Plural nouns
  3. 1 Peter 2:1 Plural nouns
  4. 1 Peter 2:1 Plural nouns
  5. 1 Peter 2:2 Or unadulterated
  6. 1 Peter 2:2 Or spiritual (Gr logikos) milk
  7. 1 Peter 2:2 Or up to salvation
  8. 1 Peter 2:3 Lit that the Lord is kind
  9. 1 Peter 2:3 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 34:8
  10. 1 Peter 2:4 Or elect; lit chosen
  11. 1 Peter 2:5 Or allow yourselves to be built up, build yourselves up
  12. 1 Peter 2:6 Or a scripture
  13. 1 Peter 2:6 Or it
  14. 1 Peter 2:12 Or as a result of
  15. 1 Peter 2:12 Christ’s coming again in judgment
  16. 1 Peter 2:14 Lit through
  17. 1 Peter 2:15 Lit so
  18. 1 Peter 2:16 Lit not having
  19. 1 Peter 2:17 Or brotherhood
  20. 1 Peter 2:17 Or emperor
  21. 1 Peter 2:18 Or unreasonable
  22. 1 Peter 2:19 Or grace
  23. 1 Peter 2:24 Or carried...up to the cross
  24. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit sins
  25. 1 Peter 2:24 Or bruise; lit wound