1 L aying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings,

2 a s newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation,

3 i f indeed ye have tasted that the Lord good.

4 T o whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious,

5 y ourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 B ecause it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.

7 T o you therefore who believe the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of corner,

8 a nd a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed.

9 B ut ye a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light;

10 w ho once not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy.

11 B eloved, I exhort, as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 h aving your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through good works, witnessing, glorify God in day of visitation.

13 B e in subjection to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to king as supreme,

14 o r to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well.

15 B ecause so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men;

16 a s free, and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice, but as God's bondmen.

17 S hew honour to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king.

18 S ervants, subject with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the ill-tempered.

19 F or this acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly.

20 F or what glory, if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear ? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear, this is acceptable with God.

21 F or to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps:

22 w ho did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;

23 w ho, reviled, reviled not again; suffering, threatened not; but gave over into the hands of him who judges righteously;

24 w ho himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed.

25 F or ye were going astray as sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.