1 Peter 2
New Matthew Bible
He exhorts the people to lay aside all vice, shows that Christ is the foundation they have built upon, and prays them to abstain from fleshly lusts and to obey worldly rulers. How servants should conduct themselves toward their masters. He exhorts them to suffer after the example of Christ.
2 Therefore, lay aside all vice, and all guile and dissimulation and envy, and all backbiting. 2 And as newborn babes, desire the milk (not of the body, but of the soul) that is without corruption, so that you may grow therein – 3 if it so be that you have tasted that the Lord is sweet, 4 to whom you come as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God, and precious.
5 And you, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Of this it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious; and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.
7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious. But to those who do not believe, the stone which the builders refused is made the head stone in the corner, 8 and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend those who stumble at the word and do not believe that whereon they were set.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people, in order that you should show forth the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light – 10 you who in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God; who were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloveds, I beseech you: as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul. 12 And see that you lead virtuous lives among the Gentiles, so that those who backbite you as evil-doers may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every human authority, for the Lord’s sake – whether it be to the king as to the chief head, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, but for the praise of those who do well. 15 For so is the will of God, so that you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men – 16 as free, and not as having freedom for a cloak of evil, but even as the servants of God.
17 Honour all people. Love brotherly fellowship. Fear God, and honour the king.
18 Servants, obey your masters with all fear, not only if they are good and kind, but also though they be ill-natured. 19 For it is meritorious if a person for conscience towards God endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For how is it praiseworthy if when you are buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But if when you do well you suffer wrong, and take it patiently, then is there favour with God.
21 For to this indeed you have been called. For Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps – 22 who did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth; 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed the cause to him who judges righteously. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we may be delivered from sin and live in righteousness; by his stripes you were healed. 25 For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
彼得前书 2
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
信徒像活石被建造成灵宫
2 所以要除去一切恶毒、一切诡诈、虚伪、嫉妒和一切毁谤的话， 2 像初生婴孩爱慕那纯净的灵奶，好叫你们靠它长大，进入救恩； 3 因为你们已经体验过主是美善的。 4 主是活石，虽然被人弃绝，却是 神所拣选所珍贵的；你们到他面前来， 5 也就像活石，被建造成为灵宫，作圣洁的祭司，借着耶稣基督献上蒙 神悦纳的灵祭。 6 因为经上记着：
“看哪，我在锡安放了一块石头，
就是所拣选所珍贵的房角石，
信靠他的人，必不致失望。”
7 所以这石头，对你们信的人是宝贵的，但对那不信的人，却是
“建筑工人所弃的石头，
成了房角的主要石头。”
8 它又
“作了绊脚的石头，
使人跌倒的盘石。”
他们跌倒是因为不顺从这道，他们这样是必然的。
9 然而你们是蒙拣选的族类，是君尊的祭司，是圣洁的国民，是属 神的子民，为要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。
10 “你们从前不是子民，
现在却是 神的子民；
从前未蒙怜恤，
现在却蒙了怜恤。”
应当品行端正
11 亲爱的，我劝你们作客旅和寄居的人，要禁戒肉体的私欲，这私欲是与灵魂争战的。 12 你们在教外人中，应当品行端正，使那些人，虽然毁谤你们是作恶的，但因为看见你们的好行为，就要在鉴察的日子颂赞 神。
13 你们为主的缘故，要顺服人的一切制度，无论是至尊的君王， 14 或是君王所派赏善罚恶的官员； 15 因为这是 神的旨意，要借着你们的善行，塞住糊涂无知人的口。 16 你们是自由的人，但不要用自由来掩饰邪恶，总要像 神的仆人。 17 要尊重众人，爱护弟兄，敬畏 神，尊敬君王。
基督受苦的榜样
18 你们作仆人的，要凡事敬畏顺服主人，不单是对善良温和的，就是乖僻的也要顺服。 19 因为人若在 神面前为良心的缘故，忍受冤屈的苦楚，是有福的。 20 你们若因犯罪受责打而能忍耐，有甚么可夸的呢？但你们若因行善而受苦，能忍耐，在 神看来，这是有福的。 21 你们就是为此蒙召，因基督也为你们受过苦，给你们留下榜样，叫你们跟随他的脚踪行。
22 “他从来没有犯过罪，
口里也找不到诡诈。”
23 他被骂的时候不还嘴，受苦的时候也不说恐吓的话；只把自己交托给那公义的审判者。 24 他在木头上亲身担当了我们的罪，使我们既然不活在罪中，就可以为义而活。因他受的鞭伤，你们就得了医治。 25 你们从前好象迷路的羊，但现在已经回到你们灵魂的牧人和监督那里了。
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)
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
- 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.
- 2:3 Tasted that the Lord is good: cf. Ps 34:9.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- 2:21 Suffered: some ancient manuscripts and versions read “died” (cf. 1 Pt 3:18).
- 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.
- 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).
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.