1 H aving put aside, then, all evil, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speakings,

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 a s new-born babes the word's pure milk desire ye, that in it ye may grow,

as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

3 i f so be ye did taste that the Lord gracious,

if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4 t o whom coming -- a living stone -- by men, indeed, having been disapproved of, but with God choice, precious,

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 a nd ye yourselves, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 W herefore, also, it is contained in the Writing: `Lo, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, choice, precious, and he who is believing on him may not be put to shame;'

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 t o you, then, who are believing the preciousness; and to the unbelieving, a stone that the builders disapproved of, this one did become for the head of a corner,

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 a nd a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence -- who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, -- to which also they were set;

and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 a nd ye a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light;

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

10 w ho once not a people, and now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness.

which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11 B eloved, I call upon, as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul,

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 h aving your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.

having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 B e subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest,

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 w hether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good;

or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15 b ecause, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men;

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 a s free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God;

as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 t o all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 T he domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross;

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 f or this gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 f or what renown, if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure ? but if, doing good and suffering, ye do endure, this gracious with God,

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 f or to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 w ho did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,

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

23 w ho being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously,

who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 w ho our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed,

who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 f or ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.