1 Peter 2

Therefore, having put aside all evil and all deceit and hypocrisies and envies and all slanders,

as newborn babies, long for the pure rational milk so that by it you may grow up to salvation,

if you have tasted that the Lord {is} kind, \*

coming to him, a living stone, having been rejected by men, but chosen by God, precious,

and you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up {to be} a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. \*

Therefore, it stands in scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone, chosen, precious. And the one believing in him may certainly not be ashamed.” \*

Therefore, the honor {is} to you, the ones believing. But to those not believing, “A stone that the ones building rejected, this has become the head of the corner,”

and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, disobeying the word to which also they were appointed. \*

But you {are} a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might proclaim the praiseworthy actions of the one having called you out from darkness into his marvelous light,

who once {were} “not a people,” but now “a people of God;” the ones “not having received mercy,” but now “having received mercy.” \*

Beloved ones, I exhort you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from fleshly desires, which make war against the soul,

keeping your behavior among the Gentiles good so that, in whatever they slander you as evildoers, by observing your good works, they might glorify God in the day of visitation. \*

Be subjected to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as one having supreme authority

or to governors as those being sent through him for punishment of evildoers and praise of doers of good;

For this is the will of God: doing good to silence the ignorance of the foolish people;

as free {people} and not having freedom as a covering of evil, but as servants of God.

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. \*

House slaves, be subjected to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle ones, but also to the crooked ones.

For this {finds} favor—if anyone endures sorrows, suffering unjustly because of consciousness of God.

For what credit {is there} if, sinning and being beaten, you will endure? But if doing good and suffering, you will endure, this {finds} favor with God. \*

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered on your behalf, leaving an example for you so that you might follow in his footsteps 22 “who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth;”

who being reviled, did not revile back; suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted {himself} to the one judging justly; \*

who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree so that, having died to the sins, we might live for righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed.

For you were like straying sheep, but now you have been turned back to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. \*