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

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

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

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 so be ye did taste that the Lord gracious,

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

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

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 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;'

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 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,

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 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 ”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also 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 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 not a people, and now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness.

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 call upon, as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that 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 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.

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

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

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

15 b ecause, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the 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, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants 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 t o all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.

Honor all people, 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 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 gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;

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 renown, if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure ? but if, doing good and suffering, ye do endure, this gracious with 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 ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may 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 w ho did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,

who committed no sin, nor was any deceit 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,

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 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,

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 ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now 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.