The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Letter 02
1 Putting away therefore all wickedness,
all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil
speaking,
2 as newborn babies, long for the pure
spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord
is gracious.
4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed
by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5 You also as living stones are built up as
a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable
to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Because it is contained in Scripture,
“Behold,† I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone,
chosen and precious. He who believes in
him will not be disappointed.”*
7 For you who believe therefore is the
honor, but for those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone,”*
8 and, “a stumbling stone and a rock
of offense.”* For they stumble at
the word, being disobedient, to
which also they were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for
God’s own possession, that you may proclaim
the excellence of him who called you
out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 In the past, you were not a people,
but now are God’s people, who had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained
mercy.
11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and
pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts
which war against the soul,
12 having good behavior among the nations,
so inthat of whichthey speak against
you as evildoers, they may see your good
works and glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Therefore subject yourselves to every
ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake:
whether to the king, as supreme,
14 or to governors, as sent by him for
vengeance on evildoers and for praise to
those who do well.
15 For this is the will of God, that by
well-doing you should put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men.
16 Live as free people, yet not using your
freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as
bondservants of God.
17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood.
Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Servants, be in subjection to your
masters with all respect, not only
to the good and gentle, but also
to the wicked.
19 For it is commendable if someone
endures pain, suffering unjustly,
because of conscience toward God.
20 For what glory is it if, when you sin,
you patiently endure beating? But if when
you do well, you patiently endure
suffering, this is commendable with God.
21 For you were called to this, because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving you‡ an
example, that you should follow his steps,
22 who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit
found in his mouth.”*
23 When he was cursed, he didn’t
curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t
threaten, but committed himself to him
who judges righteously.
24 He him self bore our sins in his body on
the tree, that we, having died to sins, might
live to righteousness. You were healed by
his wounds.§
25 For you were going astray like sheep;
but now you have returned to the Shepherd
and Overseer† of your souls.