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The Living Stone and a Chosen People

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built[a] into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him[b] will not be put to shame.’

To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the very head of the corner’,

and

‘A stone that makes them stumble,
    and a rock that makes them fall.’

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[c] in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

10 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.

Live as Servants of God

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honourably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honourable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.[d]

13 For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution,[e] whether of the emperor as supreme, 14 or of governors, as 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 ignorance of the foolish. 16 As servants[f] of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17 Honour everyone. Love the family of believers.[g] Fear God. Honour the emperor.

The Example of Christ’s Suffering

18 Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. 19 For it is to your credit if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, where is the credit in that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

22 ‘He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.’

23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,[h] so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds[i] you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or you yourselves are being built
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Or it
  3. 1 Peter 2:9 Gk a people for his possession
  4. 1 Peter 2:12 Gk God on the day of visitation
  5. 1 Peter 2:13 Or every institution ordained for human beings
  6. 1 Peter 2:16 Gk slaves
  7. 1 Peter 2:17 Gk Love the brotherhood
  8. 1 Peter 2:24 Or carried up our sins in his body to the tree
  9. 1 Peter 2:24 Gk bruise

Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

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

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)

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)

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)

Hiqni tej, pra, çdo ligësi dhe çdo mashtrim, hipokrizitë, smirat dhe çdo shpifje,

posi foshnja të sapolindura, të dëshironi fort qumështin e pastër të fjalës, që të rriteni me anë të tij,

nëse e keni shijuar se Zoti është i mirë.

Duke iu afruar atij, si te guri i gjallë, i flakur tej nga njerëzit, por i zgjedhur dhe i çmuar përpara Perëndisë,

edhe ju, si gurë të gjallë, ndërtoheni për të qenë një shtëpi frymërore, një priftëri e shenjtë, për të ofruar flijime frymërore, që i pëlqejnë Perëndisë me anë të Jezu Krishtit.

Sepse në Shkrimet lexohet: “Ja, unë po vë në Sion një gur çipi, të zgjedhur, dhe ai që beson në të nuk do të turpërohet aspak.”

Sepse për ju që besoni ai është i çmuar, po për ata të pabindurit: “Guri, që u hoq mënjanë nga ndërtuesit, u bë guri i qoshes, gur pengese dhe shkëmb skandali që i bën të rrëzohen.”

Duke qenë të pabindur, ata pengohen në fjalë, dhe për këtë ata ishin të caktuar.

Por ju jeni fis i zgjedhur, priftëri mbretërore, një komb i shenjtë, një popull i fituar, që të shpallni mrekullitë e atij që ju thirri nga terri në dritën e tij të mrekullueshme;

10 ju, që dikur nuk ishit një popull, kurse tani jeni populli i Perëndisë; ju, dikur të pamëshiruar, por tani të mëshiruar.

11 Shumë të dashur, unë ju këshilloj, si të huaj dhe shtegtarë, të hiqni dorë nga lakmitë e mishit, që luftojnë kundër shpirtit.

12 Silluni mirë ndër johebrenjtë, që aty ku do t’ju paditin si keqbërës, të përlëvdojnë Perëndinë ditën e ardhjes së tij, për shkak të veprave tuaja të mira.

13 Nënshtrohuni, pra, për hir të Zotit, çdo pushteti njerëzor, qoftë mbretit, si më të lartit,

14 qoftë qeveritarëve, si të dërguar prej tij për të ndëshkuar keqbërësit dhe për të lavdëruar ata që bëjnë të mirën,

15 sepse ky është vullneti i Perëndisë, që ju, duke bërë mirë, t’ia mbyllni gojën paditurisë së njerëzve të pamend.

16 Silluni si njerëz të lirë, por jo duke për-dorur lirinë si një pretekst për të mbuluar ligësinë, por si shërbëtorë të Perëndisë.

17 Nderoni të gjithë, doni vëllazërinë, druani Perëndinë, nderoni mbretin.

18 Ju, shërbëtorë, nënshtrohuni me plot druajtje zotërinjve tuaj, jo vetëm të mirëve dhe të drejtëve, por edhe të padrejtëve,

19 sepse është gjë e ladërueshme, nëse dikush, për ndërgjegje ndaj Perëndisë, duron shtrengime duke vuajtur padrejtësisht.

20 Sepse çfarë lavdie do të ishte po të duronit në qoftë se ju rrahin sepse keni bërë faje? Ndërsa, po të bëni të mirë dhe të duroni vuajtje, kjo është hir para Perëndisë.

21 Sepse për këtë ju u thirrët, sepse edhe Krishti e vuajti për ne, duke ju lënë një shembull, që të ecni pas gjurmës së tij.

22 “Ai nuk bëri asnjë mëkat dhe nuk u gjet asnjë mashtrim në gojë të tij.”

23 Kur e fyenin, nuk e kthente fyerjen, kur vuante, nuk kërcënonte, po dorëzohej tek ai që gjykon drejtësisht.

24 Ai vet i barti mëkatet tona në trupin e tij mbi drurin e kryqit që ne, të vdekur për mëkate, të rrojmë për drejtësi; dhe me vurratat e tij ju u shëruat.

25 Sepse ju ishit si dele endacake por tani ju u kthyet te bariu dhe ruajtësi i shpirtrave tuaj.