| 章 |
| 2:1 |
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.
|
| 2:2 |
Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation--
|
| 2:3 |
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
|
| 2:4 |
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and
|
| 2:5 |
like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
|
| 2:6 |
For it stands in scripture: "See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
|
| 2:7 |
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,"
|
| 2:8 |
and "A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
|
| 2:9 |
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
|
| 2:10 |
Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
|
| 2:11 |
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.
|
| 2:12 |
Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.
|
| 2:13 |
For the Lord's sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme,
|
| 2:14 |
or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
|
| 2:15 |
For it is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish.
|
| 2:16 |
As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.
|
| 2:17 |
Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
|
| 2:18 |
Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh.
|
| 2:19 |
For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly.
|
| 2:20 |
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval.
|
| 2:21 |
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.
|
| 2:22 |
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
|
| 2:23 |
When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
|
| 2:24 |
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
|
| 2:25 |
For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
|
