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

Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

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 babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,

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

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

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,

coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, 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.

You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through 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 Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”

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,”

For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,”

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 a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were 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 you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous 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 in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

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

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, 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 good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the 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,

Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the 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 governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

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

For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish 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 using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

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

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor 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, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

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

For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

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 is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable 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 you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,

22 w ho committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;

who did not sin, “neither was deceit 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, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to 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 his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.

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

For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.