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

Putting away therefore all wickedness, 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, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;

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

if 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,

unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, 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 living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through 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;'

Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

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,

For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was 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; for they 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 elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who 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.

who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who 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,

Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, 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 behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they 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,

Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether 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 sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to 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 by well-doing ye should 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 freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

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

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor 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 in subjection 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 acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, 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 sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall 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 hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 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 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 body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might 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 going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.