1 Peter 2

New American Standard Bible

As Newborn Babes

2 Therefore, ^(A)rid yourselves of all ^[a]malice and all deceit and ^[b]hypocrisy and ^[c]envy and all ^[d]^(B)slander, ²^(C)and like newborn babies, long for the ^[e]^(D)pure ^[f]milk of the word, so that by it you may ^(E)grow ^[g]in respect to salvation, ³if you have ^(F)tasted ^[h]^(G)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

⁴And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^(H)rejected by people, but is ^[i]choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵^(I)you also, as living stones, ^[j]are being built up as a ^(J)spiritual house for a holy ^(K)priesthood, to ^(L)offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For this is contained in ^[k]Scripture:

“^(M)Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a ^(N)precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in ^[l]Him will not be ^[m]put to shame.”

⁷^(O)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“^(P)A stone which the builders ^(Q)rejected,
This became the ^[n]chief cornerstone,”

⁸and,

“^(R)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

^(S)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(T)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹But you are ^(U)a chosen people, a royal ^(V)priesthood, a ^(W)holy nation, ^(X)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(Y)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰^(Z)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^(AA)Beloved, ^(AB)I urge you as ^(AC)foreigners and strangers to abstain from ^(AD)fleshly lusts, which wage ^(AE)war against the soul. ¹²^(AF)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(AG)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[o]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(AH)glorify God ^(AI)on the day of ^[p]visitation.

Honor Authority

¹³^(AJ)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴or to governors as sent ^[q]by him ^(AK)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(AL)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵For ^[r]^(AM)such is the will of God, that by doing right you ^(AN)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶Act as ^(AO)free people, and ^[s]do not use your freedom as a ^[t]covering for evil, but use it as ^(AP)bond-servants of God. ¹⁷^(AQ)Honor all people, ^(AR)love the brotherhood, ^(AS)fear God, ^(AT)honor the ^[u]king.

¹⁸^(AU)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^(AV)gentle, but also to those who are ^[v]harsh. ¹⁹For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^(AW)conscience toward God a person endures ^[w]grief when suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^(AX)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹For ^(AY)you have been called for this purpose, ^(AZ)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(BA)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²²He who ^(BB)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ²³^[x]and while being ^(BC)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴and He Himself ^[y]^(BD)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[z]^(BE)cross, so that we ^(BF)might die to ^[aa]sin and live for righteousness; ^(BG)by His ^[ab]wounds you were ^(BH)healed. ²⁵For you were ^(BI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^(BJ)Shepherd and ^[ac]Guardian of your souls.