1 Peter 2

Your identity as believers

1 Therefore, get rid of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander.2 Instead, like a newborn baby, desire the pure milk of the word. Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation,

3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 Now you are coming to him as to a living stone. Even though this stone was rejected by humans, from God’s perspective it is chosen, valuable.5 You yourselves are being built like living stones into a spiritual temple. You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6 Thus it is written in scripture, Look! I am laying a cornerstone in Zion, chosen, valuable. The person who believes in him will never be shamed. t7 So God honors you who believe. For those who refuse to believe, though, the stone the builders tossed aside has become the capstone.8 This is a stone that makes people stumble and a rock that makes them fall. Because they refuse to believe in the word, they stumble. Indeed, this is the end to which they were appointed.9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light.

10 Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Life as strangers in the world

11 Dear friends, since you are immigrants and strangers in the world, I urge that you avoid worldly desires that wage war against your lives.

12 Live honorably among the unbelievers. Today, they defame you, as if you were doing evil. But in the day when God visits to judge they will glorify him, because they have observed your honorable deeds.
13 For the sake of the Lord submit to every human institution. Do this whether it means submitting to the emperor as supreme ruler,14 or to governors as those sent by the emperor. They are sent to punish those doing evil and to praise those doing good.15 Submit to them because it’s God’s will that by doing good you will silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.16 Do this as God’s slaves, and yet also as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil.

17 Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Have respectful fear of God. Honor the emperor.
18 Household slaves, submit by accepting the authority of your masters with all respect. Do this not only to good and kind masters but also to those who are harsh.19 Now, it is commendable if, because of one’s understanding of God, someone should endure pain through suffering unjustly.

20 But what praise comes from enduring patiently when you have sinned and are beaten for it? But if you endure steadfastly when you’ve done good and suffer for it, this is commendable before God.
21 You were called to this kind of endurance, because Christ suffered on your behalf. He left you an example so that you might follow in his footsteps.22 He committed no sin nor did he ever speak in ways meant to deceive.23 When he was insulted, he did not reply with insults. When he suffered, he did not threaten revenge. Instead, he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.24 He carried in his own body on the cross the sins we committed. He did this so that we might live in righteousness, having nothing to do with sin. By his wounds you were healed.

25 Though you were like straying sheep, you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your lives.

1 Peter 2

1 So get rid oft all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.2 Andt yearnt like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk,t so that by it you may grow up tot salvation,s

3 if you have experiencedtthe Lord’s kindness.s

A Living Stone, a Chosen People

4 So as you come to him,t a living stone rejected by men butt chosen and pricelesst in God’s sight,5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offert spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6 For it sayst in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone,tand whoever believestin himtwill nevertbe put to shame.”s7 So you who believe seet his value,t but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become thetcornerstone,s8 and a stumbling-stonetand a rock to trip over.s They stumblet because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.t9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtuess of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

10 Yout once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy,s but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,

12 and maintain good conductt among the non-Christians,t so that thought they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.t

Submission to Authorities

13 Be subject to every human institutiont for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme14 or to governors as those he commissionst to punish wrongdoers and praiset those who do good.15 For God wants yout to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.16 Livet as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.ts

17 Honor all people, love the family of believers,t fear God, honor the king.
18 Slaves,t be subjectt to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse.19 For this finds God’s favor,t if because of conscience toward Godst someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.20 For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God.t21 For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps.22 Hetcommitted no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth.s23 When he was maligned, het did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatenedt no retaliation,s but committed himself to Godt who judges justly.24 Hethimself bore our sinss in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinningt and live for righteousness. By histwoundstyou were healed.s

25 For you were going astray like sheeps but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.