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

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

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

7 Now 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)

8 and,

“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)

9 But 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) 10 Once 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

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

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

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

23 When 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) 25 For “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. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
  5. 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
  6. 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)
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1 Peter 2
Lexham English Bible

Chosen as Living Stones

2 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn infants long for the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is kind,[a] 4 to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious in the sight of God. 5 And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[b]

7 Therefore the honor is for you who believe, but for those who refuse to believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected,
this one has become the cornerstone[c],”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,”[d]

who stumble because they[e] disobey the word to which also they were consigned. 9 But you are a chosen race,[f] a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, 10 who once were not a people, but now are the people of God, the ones who were not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.[g]

11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires which wage war against your[h] soul, 12 maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation.

Submission to Established Authority

13 Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king[i] as having supreme authority, 14 or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. 15 For the will of God is as follows: by[j] doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as free persons, and not using your[k] freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.[l]

18 Domestic slaves, be subject to your[m] masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unjust. 19 For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while[n] suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you[o] sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you[p] do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps, 22 who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth,[q] 23 who when he[r] was reviled, did not revile in return; when[s] suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly, 24 who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:3 A quotation from Ps 34:8
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 A quotation from Isa 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Literally “into the head of the corner”
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 A quotation from Isa 8:14
  5. 1 Peter 2:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“disobey”) which is understood as causal
  6. 1 Peter 2:9 Or “people,” or “generation,” or “nation”
  7. 1 Peter 2:10 This verse contains quotations from Hos 1:6, 9; 2:23
  8. 1 Peter 2:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  9. 1 Peter 2:13 Or “to the emperor”
  10. 1 Peter 2:15 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“doing good”) which is understood as means
  11. 1 Peter 2:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  12. 1 Peter 2:17 Or “the emperor”
  13. 1 Peter 2:18 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  14. 1 Peter 2:19 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“suffering”) which is understood as temporal
  15. 1 Peter 2:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sin”) which is understood as temporal
  16. 1 Peter 2:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“do good”) which is understood as temporal
  17. 1 Peter 2:22 This verse contains quotations from Isa 53:9
  18. 1 Peter 2:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was reviled”) which is understood as temporal
  19. 1 Peter 2:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“suffering”) which is understood as temporal
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1 Peter 2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 2

God’s House and People. 1 [a]Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander;(A) 2 like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation, 3 (B)for you have tasted that the Lord is good.[b] 4 Come to him, a living stone,[c] rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,(C) 5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built[d] into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(D) 6 For it says in scripture:

“Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
    a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”(E)

7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:

“The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”(F)

8 and

“A stone that will make people stumble,
    and a rock that will make them fall.”

They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.(G)

9 [e]But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(H)

10 Once you were “no people”
    but now you are God’s people;
you “had not received mercy”
    but now you have received mercy.(I)

III. The Christian in a Hostile World

Christian Examples. 11 [f]Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners[g] to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.(J) 12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Christian Citizens.[h] 13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme(K) 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the approval of those who do good. 15 For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God.(L) 17 Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.(M)

Christian Slaves. 18 [i]Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse.(N) 19 For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace. 20 But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered[j] for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.(O)

22 “He committed no sin,(P)
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[k]

23 When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.(Q) 24 He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.(R) 25 For you had gone astray like sheep,(S) but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.[l]

Footnotes

  1. 2:1–3 Growth toward salvation is seen here as two steps: first, stripping away all that is contrary to the new life in Christ; second, the nourishment (pure spiritual milk) that the newly baptized have received.
  2. 2:3 Tasted that the Lord is good: cf. Ps 34:9.
  3. 2:4–8 Christ is the cornerstone (cf. Is 28:16) that is the foundation of the spiritual edifice of the Christian community (1 Pt 2:5). To unbelievers, Christ is an obstacle and a stumbling block on which they are destined to fall (1 Pt 2:8); cf. Rom 11:11.
  4. 2:5 Let yourselves be built: the form of the Greek word could also be indicative passive, “you are being built” (cf. 1 Pt 2:9).
  5. 2:9–10 The prerogatives of ancient Israel mentioned here are now more fully and fittingly applied to the Christian people: “a chosen race” (cf. Is 43:20–21) indicates their divine election (Eph 1:4–6); “a royal priesthood” (cf. Ex 19:6) to serve and worship God in Christ, thus continuing the priestly functions of his life, passion, and resurrection; “a holy nation” (Ex 19:6) reserved for God, a people he claims for his own (cf. Mal 3:17) in virtue of their baptism into his death and resurrection. This transcends all natural and national divisions and unites the people into one community to glorify the one who led them from the darkness of paganism to the light of faith in Christ. From being “no people” deprived of all mercy, they have become the very people of God, the chosen recipients of his mercy (cf. Hos 1:9; 2:25).
  6. 2:11–3:12 After explaining the doctrinal basis for the Christian community, the author makes practical applications in terms of the virtues that should prevail in all the social relationships of the members of the community: good example to Gentile neighbors (1 Pt 2:11–12); respect for human authority (1 Pt 2:13–17); obedience, patience, and endurance of hardship in domestic relations (1 Pt 2:18–25); Christian behavior of husbands and wives (1 Pt 3:1–7); mutual charity (1 Pt 3:8–12).
  7. 2:11 Aliens and sojourners: no longer signifying absence from one’s native land (Gn 23:4), this image denotes rather their estrangement from the world during their earthly pilgrimage (see also 1 Pt 1:1, 17).
  8. 2:13–17 True Christian freedom is the result of being servants of God (2 Pt 2:16; see note on 1 Pt 2:18–23). It includes reverence for God, esteem for every individual, and committed love for fellow Christians (1 Pt 2:17). Although persecution may threaten, subjection to human government is urged (1 Pt 2:13, 17) and concern for the impact of Christians’ conduct on those who are not Christians (1 Pt 2:12, 15).
  9. 2:18–21 Most of the labor in the commercial cities of first-century Asia Minor was performed by a working class of slaves. The sense of freedom contained in the gospel undoubtedly caused great tension among Christian slaves: witness the special advice given concerning them here and in 1 Cor 7:21–24; Eph 6:5–8; Col 3:22–25; Phlm. The point made here does not have so much to do with the institution of slavery, which the author does not challenge, but with the nonviolent reaction (1 Pt 2:20) of slaves to unjust treatment. Their patient suffering is compared to that of Jesus (1 Pt 2:21), which won righteousness for all humanity.
  10. 2:21 Suffered: some ancient manuscripts and versions read “died” (cf. 1 Pt 3:18).
  11. 2:22–25 After the quotation of Is 53:9b, the passage describes Jesus’ passion with phrases concerning the Suffering Servant from Is 53:4–12, perhaps as employed in an early Christian confession of faith; cf. 1 Pt 1:18–21 and 1 Pt 3:18–22.
  12. 2:25 The shepherd and guardian of your souls: the familiar shepherd and flock figures express the care, vigilance, and love of God for his people in the Old Testament (Ps 23; Is 40:11; Jer 23:4–5; Ez 34:11–16) and of Jesus for all humanity in the New Testament (Mt 18:10–14; Lk 15:4–7; Jn 10:1–16; Hb 13:20).
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