1 Peter 2
International Standard Version
Live as God’s Chosen People
2 Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. 2 Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. 3 Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!
4 As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God’s sight, 5 you, too, as living stones, are building yourselves up into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that you may offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus, the Messiah.[a] 6 This is why it says in Scripture:
“Look! I am laying a chosen, precious cornerstone[b] in Zion.
The one who believes in him will never be ashamed.”[c]
7 Therefore he is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,[d]
8 a stone they stumble over
and a rock they trip on.”[e]
They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds[f] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Live as God’s Servants
11 Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.[g]
13 For the Lord’s sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk[h] of foolish people. 16 Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God’s servants. 17 Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers,[i] fearing God, and honoring the king.
Suffer Patiently
18 You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust. 19 For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. 20 What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God’s approval. 21 This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because:
The Messiah[j] also suffered for you
and left an example for you
to follow in his steps.
22 “He never sinned,
and he never told a lie.”[k]
23 When he was insulted,
he did not retaliate.
When he suffered,
he did not threaten.
It was his habit
to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.
24 “He himself bore our sins”[l] in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to those sins
and live righteously.
“By his wounds
you have been healed.”[m]
25 You were “like sheep that kept going astray,”[n]
but now you have returned to the shepherd
and overseer of your souls.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:5 Or Christ
- 1 Peter 2:6 Or capstone
- 1 Peter 2:6 Cf. Isa 28:16
- 1 Peter 2:7 Or capstone
- 1 Peter 2:8 Cf. Ps 118:22; Isa 8:14
- 1 Peter 2:9 Or the excellence; cf. Isa 43:21
- 1 Peter 2:12 Lit. God on the day of visitation
- 1 Peter 2:15 Lit. the ignorance
- 1 Peter 2:17 Lit. the brotherhood
- 1 Peter 2:21 Or Christ
- 1 Peter 2:22 Lit. and no deceit was found in his mouth; cf. Isa 53:9
- 1 Peter 2:24 Cf. Isa 53:4,12
- 1 Peter 2:24 Cf. Isa 53:5
- 1 Peter 2:25 Cf. Isa 53:6
1 Peter 2
New King James Version
Our Inheritance Through Christ’s Blood
2 Therefore, (A)laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 (B)as newborn babes, desire the pure (C)milk of the word, that you may grow [a]thereby, 3 if indeed you have (D)tasted that the Lord is gracious.
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People(E)
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, (F)rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
(G)“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who [b]are disobedient,
(H)“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and
(I)“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
(J)They stumble, being disobedient to the word, (K)to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of (L)darkness into His marvelous light; 10 (M)who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Living Before the World
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts (N)which war against the soul, 12 (O)having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, (P)they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submission to Government(Q)
13 (R)Therefore submit yourselves to every [c]ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 (S)as free, yet not (T)using liberty as a cloak for [d]vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear (U)God. Honor the king.
Submission to Masters(V)
18 (W)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 (X)commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For (Y)what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For (Z)to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for [e]us, (AA)leaving [f]us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “Who(AB) committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 (AC)who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but (AD)committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 (AE)who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, (AF)that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—(AG)by whose [g]stripes you were healed. 25 For (AH)you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned (AI)to the Shepherd and [h]Overseer of your souls.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:2 NU adds up to salvation
- 1 Peter 2:7 NU disbelieve
- 1 Peter 2:13 institution
- 1 Peter 2:16 wickedness
- 1 Peter 2:21 NU you
- 1 Peter 2:21 NU, M you
- 1 Peter 2:24 wounds
- 1 Peter 2:25 Gr. Episkopos
1 Peter 2
Revised Geneva Translation
2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all blasphemy,
2 desire the sincere milk of the Word, as newborn babies; so that by it you may grow
3 (if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is bountiful),
4 coming to Him as to a living stone, indeed rejected by man but chosen by God and precious.
5 You also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood; to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I put a Chief Cornerstone in Zion, elect and precious. And the one who believes in Him shall not be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “the Stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the Chief Cornerstone,”
8 and, “a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense,” to those who stumble at the Word, being disobedient. To this they were also appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are a Possession; so that you would show forth the virtues of the One Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
10 In the past, you were not a people, yet are now the people of God, who in the past were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I urge you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
12 And have your behavior be honorable among the Gentiles, so that those who speak against you as evil doers may, by your good works which they shall see, glorify God on the Day of visitation.
13 Therefore, submit yourselves to every institution of man, for the Lord’s sake; whether it is to the king (as superior),
14 or to governors (those sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do well).
15 For such is the will of God: that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men;
16 as free—yet not having freedom be a cloak for evil—but as servants of God.
17 Honor the whole brotherhood. Love brotherly fellowship. Fear God. Honor the King.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and courteous, but also to the crooked.
19 For this is grace: if anyone - for the sake of conscience toward God - endures grief, suffering wrongly.
20 For what praise is it, if when you are mistreated for your faults, you take it patiently? But if you suffer when you do well, and take it patiently, this is acceptable to God.
21 For you are called to this. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you could follow His steps.
22 “He did no sin. Nor was there guile found in His mouth.”
23 When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed it to Him Who judges righteously.
24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, would live in righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.”
25 For you were as sheep, going astray, but now are returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
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