1 Peter 2
Modern English Version
The Living Stone and the Holy Nation
2 Therefore put away all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. 2 As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow, 3 if it is true that you have experienced that the Lord is good.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone who is rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For also it is contained in the Scripture,
“Look! I lay in Zion
a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
and he who believes in Him
shall never be put to shame.”[a]
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[b]
8 and,
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”[c]
They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, to which also they were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 In times past, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Live as Servants of God
11 Dearly beloved, I implore you as aliens and refugees, abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Live your lives honorably among the Gentiles, so that though they speak against you as evildoers, they shall see your good works and thereby glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every human authority for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, 14 or to governors, as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is the will of God that by doing right you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 As free people, do not use your liberty as a covering for evil, but live as servants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
The Example of Christ’s Suffering
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God a person endures grief, suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if when you are being beaten for your sins you patiently endure? But if when doing good and suffering for it, you patiently endure, this is favorable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “He committed no sin,
nor was deceit found in His mouth.”[d]
23 When He was reviled, He did not revile back; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but He entrusted Himself to Him who judges righteously. 24 He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.”[e] 25 For you were as sheep going astray, but now have been returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
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,
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 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner
- 1 Peter 2:13 Or every institution ordained for people
- 1 Peter 2:13 Or king; also verse 17
- 1 Peter 2:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
- 1 Peter 2:18 Or crooked
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
