As Living Stones, God’s Chosen Family

2 Therefore, ^(A)laying aside all ^[a]malice and all deceit and ^[b]hypocrisy and ^[c]envy and all ^[d](B)slander, ^2 (C)like newborn babies, long for the ^[e](D)pure ^[f]milk of the word, so that by it you may ^(E)grow ^[g]in respect to salvation, ³ if you have ^(F)tasted ^[h](G)the kindness of the ^[i]Lord.

⁴ And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^(H)rejected by men, but is ^[j]choice and precious in the sight of God, ^5 (I)you also, as living stones, ^[k]are being built up as a ^(J)spiritual house for a holy ^(K)priesthood, to ^(L)offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For this is contained in ^[l]Scripture:

^7 (O)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

⁸ and,

^(S)They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(T)and to this stumbling they were also appointed.

⁹ But you are ^(U)a chosen family, a royal ^(V)priesthood, a ^(W)holy nation, ^(X)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(Y)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ^10 (Z)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

^11 (AA)Beloved, ^(AB)I urge you as ^(AC)sojourners and exiles to abstain from ^(AD)fleshly lusts which wage ^(AE)war against the soul, ^12 (AF)by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they ^(AG)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[n]because of your good works, as they observe them, ^(AH)glorify God ^(AI)in the day of ^[o]visitation.

Be Subject to Authority

^13 (AJ)Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent ^[p]by him ^(AK)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(AL)praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For ^[q](AM)such is the will of God that by doing good you may ^(AN)silence the ignorance of foolish men. ¹⁶ Act as ^(AO)free people, and ^[r]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^(AP)slaves of God. ^17 (AQ)Honor all people, ^(AR)love the ^[s]brethren, ^(AS)fear God, ^(AT)honor the ^[t]king.

^18 (AU)Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and ^(AV)considerate, but also to those who are ^[u]crooked. ¹⁹ For this finds ^[v]favor, if for the sake of ^(AW)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously. ²⁰ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if ^(AX)when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God.

Christ, Our Example

²¹ For to this ^(AY)you have been called, ^(AZ)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(BA)an example that you should follow in His steps, ²² who ^(BB)did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ²³ who being ^(BC)reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. ²⁴ Who Himself ^[w](BD)bore our sins in His body on the ^(BE)tree, so that ^(BF)having died to ^[x]sin, we might live to righteousness; ^(BG)by His ^[y]wounds you were ^(BH)healed. ²⁵ For you were ^(BI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(BJ)Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.