The Lord is Good

1Having put aside, then, all evil, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speakings, 2as new-born babes the word's pure milk desire ye, that in it ye may grow, 3if so be ye did taste that the Lord is gracious,

The Living Stone

4to whom coming -- a living stone -- by men, indeed, having been disapproved of, but with God choice, precious, 5and 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.

6Wherefore, 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;'

7to you, then, who are believing is the preciousness; and to the unbelieving, a stone that the builders disapproved of, this one did become for the head of a corner,

8and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence -- who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, -- to which also they were set;

9and ye are 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; 10who were once not a people, and are now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness.

11Beloved, I call upon you, as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul, 12having 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.

Submission to Authorities

13Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest, 14whether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good; 15because, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men; 16as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God; 17to all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.

18The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross; 19for this is gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; 20for what renown is it, if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure it? but if, doing good and suffering for it, ye do endure, this is gracious with God,

Christ's Example of Suffering

21for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 22who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, 23who being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously, 24who 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, 25for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.