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 Peter 2:3 A quotation from Ps 34:8
- 1 Peter 2:6 A quotation from Isa 28:16
- 1 Peter 2:7 Literally “into the head of the corner”
- 1 Peter 2:8 A quotation from Isa 8:14
- 1 Peter 2:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“disobey”) which is understood as causal
- 1 Peter 2:9 Or “people,” or “generation,” or “nation”
- 1 Peter 2:10 This verse contains quotations from Hos 1:6, 9; 2:23
- 1 Peter 2:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- 1 Peter 2:13 Or “to the emperor”
- 1 Peter 2:15 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“doing good”) which is understood as means
- 1 Peter 2:16 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- 1 Peter 2:17 Or “the emperor”
- 1 Peter 2:18 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- 1 Peter 2:19 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“suffering”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 2:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sin”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 2:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“do good”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 2:22 This verse contains quotations from Isa 53:9
- 1 Peter 2:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was reviled”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 2:23 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“suffering”) which is understood as temporal
1 Peter 2
King James Version
2 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop 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
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
