2
A Living Stone and a Holy People
1 Therefore having put away all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all slanders, 2 as newborn babes, desire the genuine milk of the word, that by it you may grow, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, having been rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I place in Zion
a chief cornerstone, chosen, precious,
and he who believes on Him shall by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and “a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellent virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who formerly were not a people but now are the people of God, who had not received mercy, but now have received mercy.
Living Before the World
11 Beloved, I implore you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from the lusts of the flesh which war against the soul; 12 having your manner of life noble among the Gentiles, so that, whenever they speak against you as evildoers, when they observe the good works, they may glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submission to Government
13 Therefore subject yourselves to every human institution on account of the Lord: whether to the king as to one having authority, 14 or to governors, as to those being sent for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those doing good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using freedom as a cover for wickedness, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Submission to Masters
18 Servants, subject yourselves to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the crooked. 19 For this is admirable, if because of conscience toward God someone endures pain, suffering unjustly. 20 For what glory is it, if when you sin and are beaten, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this is admirable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving behind an example for you, that you should follow in His footsteps,
22 “Who committed no sin,
nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 who, being verbally abused, did not return verbal insults, when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, in order that having died to sins, we might live unto righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you have turned back now to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.