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

¶ Having therefore left all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all murmurings,

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

as newborn babes, desire the rational milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby in health;

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

if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is benevolent;

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

¶ coming unto whom (is the 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 living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, well pleasing to God by Jesus, the 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;'

Therefore, also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion the chief corner stone, chosen, precious; and he that believes 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, who believe he is precious; but unto those who are 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 offense, even to those who stumble at the word, not obeying in that for which they were ordained.

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 the chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that ye should show forth the virtues of him who has 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.

Ye who in the time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, who in the time past 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 the carnal desires 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.

and have your honest conversation among the Gentiles, so that, in that which they murmur about you as of evildoers, having witnessed your good works, they may 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,

¶ Therefore, be subject to every human ordinance that is of the Lord, whether it be to a king or to a superior,

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

and unto governors as unto those that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those 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 this is the will of God, that in well doing ye may silence the ignorance of vain men,

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

as being free, yet not using your liberty to cover maliciousness, but as slaves 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 humane, but also to the unjust.

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

For this is due to grace, if a man for conscience toward God endures 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 are 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 due to grace from 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,

Because for this were ye called: for the 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 cursed, did not return the curse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges 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,

he himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose wound 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 that had gone astray, but are now converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.