1 T herefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

2 a s newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

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

3 i f indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. As Living Stones

4 C oming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

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

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

you 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.

6 T herefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

For 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.”

7 T herefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”

This 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,”

8 a nd “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

and, “ 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.

9 B ut you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who 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, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 w ho once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Living Before the World

for 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.

11 B eloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

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

12 h aving your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submission to Government

Keep 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

13 T herefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

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

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

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

15 F or this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

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

16 a s free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

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

17 H onor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Submission to Masters

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

18 S ervants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

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

19 F or this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

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

20 F or what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

For 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

21 F or to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

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

22 “ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

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

23 w ho, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

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

24 w ho Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

and 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.

25 F or you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

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