1 P or lo tanto, desechen toda clase de maldad, todo engaño e hipocresía, envidias y toda clase de calumnia.

Put out of your life hate and lying. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Do not always want something someone else has. Do not say bad things about other people.

2 B usquen, como los niños recién nacidos, la leche espiritual no adulterada, para que por medio de ella crezcan y sean salvos,

As new babies want milk, you should want to drink the pure milk which is God’s Word so you will grow up and be saved from the punishment of sin.

3 s i es que han probado ya la bondad del Señor. La piedra viva

If you have tasted of the Lord, you know how good He is. The Living Stone

4 A cérquense a él, a la piedra viva que los hombres desecharon, pero que para Dios es una piedra escogida y preciosa.

Come to Christ as to a living stone. Men have put Him aside, but He was chosen by God and is of great worth in the sight of God.

5 Y ustedes también, como piedras vivas, sean edificados como casa espiritual y sacerdocio santo, para ofrecer sacrificios espirituales que Dios acepte por medio de Jesucristo.

You are to be as living stones in the building God is making also. You are His religious leaders giving yourselves to God through Jesus Christ. This kind of gift pleases God.

6 P or eso dice la Escritura: «¡Miren! Yo pongo en Sión la principal piedra angular, escogida y preciosa; y el que crea en ella no será avergonzado.»

The Holy Writings say, “See, I lay down in Jerusalem a Stone of great worth, worth far more than any amount of money. Anyone who puts his trust in Him will not be ashamed.”

7 P ara ustedes, los que creen, él es de gran valor; pero para los que no creen: «La piedra que desecharon los edificadores ha llegado a ser la piedra angular»,

This Stone is of great worth to you who have your trust in Him. But to those who have not put their trust in Him, the Holy Writings say, “The Stone which the workmen put aside has become the most important part of the building.”

8 y también: «Una piedra de tropiezo, y una roca que hace tropezar.» Porque al ser desobedientes, ellos tropiezan en la palabra, para lo cual estaban ya destinados. El pueblo de Dios

The Holy Writings say, also, “Christ is the Stone that some men will trip over and the Rock over which they will fall.” When they do not obey the Word of God, they trip over it. This is what happens to such men.

9 P ero ustedes son linaje escogido, real sacerdocio, nación santa, pueblo adquirido por Dios, para que anuncien los hechos maravillosos de aquel que los llamó de las tinieblas a su luz admirable.

But you are a chosen group of people. You are the King’s religious leaders. You are a holy nation. You belong to God. He has done this for you so you can tell others how God has called you out of darkness into His great light.

10 A ntes, ustedes no eran un pueblo; ¡pero ahora son el pueblo de Dios!; antes no habían sido compadecidos, pero ahora ya han sido compadecidos. Vivan como siervos de Dios

At one time you were a people of no use. Now you are the people of God. At one time you did not have loving-kindness. Now you have God’s loving-kindness.

11 A mados hermanos, como si ustedes fueran extranjeros y peregrinos, les ruego que se aparten de los deseos pecaminosos que batallan contra el alma.

Dear friends, your real home is not here on earth. You are strangers here. I ask you to keep away from all the sinful desires of the flesh. These things fight to get hold of your soul.

12 M antengan una buena conducta entre los no creyentes para que, aunque los acusen de malhechores, al ver las buenas obras de ustedes glorifiquen a Dios el día que él nos visite.

When you are around people who do not know God, be careful how you act. Even if they talk against you as wrong-doers, in the end they will give thanks to God for your good works when Christ comes again. Obey the Leaders

13 P or causa del Señor, muéstrense respetuosos de toda institución humana, se trate del rey, porque es el que gobierna,

Obey the head leader of the country and all other leaders over you. This pleases the Lord.

14 o de sus gobernadores, porque el rey los ha enviado para castigar a los malhechores y para elogiar a los que hacen el bien.

Obey the men who work for them. God sends them to punish those who do wrong and to show respect to those who do right.

15 L a voluntad de Dios es que ustedes practiquen el bien, para que así hagan callar la ignorancia de la gente insensata.

This is what God wants. When you do right, you stop foolish men from saying bad things.

16 H agan uso de su libertad, pero no la usen como pretexto para hacer lo malo, sino para servir a Dios.

Obey as men who are free but do not use this to cover up sin. Live as servants owned by God at all times.

17 R espeten a todos. Amen a los hermanos. Teman a Dios y respeten al rey.

Show respect to all men. Love the Christians. Honor God with love and fear. Respect the head leader of the country. Servants

18 U stedes los criados, muéstrense respetuosos con sus amos; no sólo con los que son buenos e indulgentes, sino también con los que son difíciles de sobrellevar.

Servants, you are to respect your owners and do what they say. Do this if you have a good and kind owner. You must do it even if your owner is hard to work for.

19 E l soportar sufrimientos injustos es digno de elogio, si quien los soporta lo hace por motivos de conciencia delante de Dios.

This shows you have received loving-favor when you are even punished for doing what is right because of your trust in God.

20 P orque ¿qué mérito hay en soportar malos tratos por hacer algo malo? Pero cuando se sufre por hacer el bien y se aguanta el castigo, entonces sí es meritorio ante Dios.

What good is it if, when you are beaten for doing something wrong, you do not try to get out of it? But if you are beaten when you have done what is right, and do not try to get out of it, God is pleased.

21 Y ustedes fueron llamados para esto. Porque también Cristo sufrió por nosotros, con lo que nos dio un ejemplo para que sigamos sus pasos.

These things are all a part of the Christian life to which you have been called. Christ suffered for us. This shows us we are to follow in His steps.

22 C risto no cometió ningún pecado, ni hubo engaño en su boca.

He never sinned. No lie or bad talk ever came from His lips.

23 C uando lo maldecían, no respondía con maldición; cuando sufría, no amenazaba, sino que remitía su causa al que juzga con justicia.

When people spoke against Him, He never spoke back. When He suffered from what people did to Him, He did not try to pay them back. He left it in the hands of the One Who is always right in judging.

24 É l mismo llevó en su cuerpo nuestros pecados al madero, para que nosotros, muertos ya al pecado, vivamos para la justicia. Por sus heridas fueron ustedes sanados.

He carried our sins in His own body when He died on a cross. In doing this, we may be dead to sin and alive to all that is right and good. His wounds have healed you!

25 P orque ustedes eran como ovejas descarriadas, pero ahora se han vuelto al Pastor que cuida de sus vidas.

You were like lost sheep. But now you have come back to Him Who is your Shepherd and the One Who cares for your soul.