1 T herefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

Laying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings,

2 l ike newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

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

3 i f you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. As Living Stones

if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord good.

4 A nd coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

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

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

yourselves 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 F or this is contained in Scripture: “ Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

Because 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 his precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “ The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,”

To 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 a rock of offense ”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

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

9 B ut you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

But 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 f or 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.

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

11 B eloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.

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

12 K eep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Honor Authority

having 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 S ubmit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

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

14 o r to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

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

15 F or such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

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

16 A ct as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

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

17 H onor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Shew honour to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king.

18 S ervants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

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

19 F or this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

For this acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly.

20 F or what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. Christ Is Our Example

For 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 you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

For 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 committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;

who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;

23 a nd while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

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

24 a nd He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

who 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 you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

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